Nov. 26, 2018—Lug Nutz, a do-it-yourself (DIY) shop officially opened in Columbia, S.C. The shop, equipped with seven automotive bays and two motorcycle bays, hopes to become a gathering center for those who don’t have the space to work on their vehicles otherwise.
“This not a garage to learn as it is a garage for you to do the work you already [know how to] do,” said owner, John Adams
Over the summer, Adams grew frustrated while working on his car outside in this driveway; it was hot, there wasn’t enough room, and he felt there should be a place where it’s easier to work on a car. Adams heard about the concept of DIY facilities a few years prior, but he wasn’t in the right place to get one started, he says.
“I definitely feel like there’s a void in the market here in South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina, and I haven’t really found anything that you can find with the same concept,” Adams said. “Weeks or so later, I started to dig into [DIY shops] a little bit more, and I realized that it can be done and it was a possibility to invest in.”
A few months later, Lug Nutz opened its doors for use. The hobby shop is meant for just that—personal use, Adams says.
“We don’t cross certain lines [in the automotive industry],” Adams says. “If you fix somebody’s brake pads and the brake pads fail them, you’re liable for the car—that’s something that I did not want to get into.”
In order to use the facility, customers must sign a waiver stating that he or she will not sue Lug Nutz in the instance that something goes wrong. Upon arrival, customers pay a rental space fee of $35.00 per hour for vehicles and $25.00 for motorcycles. The price includes bay space as well as the usage of tools available on site.
Adams says he was able to equip his shop with necessary tools based on research.
“This [DIY shops] is not a new concept,” Adams said. “I basically looked at their [other DIY shop] website and created the list of tools,”
While it’s a community space for those interested in getting their hands dirty, there are certain guidelines users have to follow, Adams says. No more than two people are allowed under a car at once, the on-site mechanic works the lift, and the mechanic monitors the activity to make sure that everyone is working safely.
“We’re very conscious [of the shop],” Adams says. “We want to make sure that everybody works efficiently, but also does it in a safe manner and doesn’t put themselves in harm.”
