Shop: Bill Shaheen Auto Body Owner: Bill Shaheen Location: Carbondale, Pa. Staff Size: 5 ShopSize: 6,000 square feet Number of Lifts: 2 Average Monthly Car Count: 56 ARO: $1,400 Annual Revenue: $1 million
1. The Vintage
Bill Shaheen, owner of Bill Shaheen Auto Body, purchased his building in 2020.
As a young business owner, Shaheen says he didn’t have a lot of money to revamp his space, so, “We decided to work with what we had.”
The building was originally a soda factory and later a beer distributor.
“We figured we could keep that vintage look,” says Shaheen. “We first sandblasted the building and then had our logo painted on in vintage lettering.”
“We wanted to be different,” says Shaheen, “I see so many shops look modern and metal, very cookie cutter.”
2. The Transparency
To build upon the vintage look, Shaheen capitalized on the interior’s exposed brick walls, I-beams supported by columns, and the original wood ceiling.
“What really sets our waiting area apart is our transparency,” says Shaheen.
When a customer walks in, the estimator’s desk is to the left.
“On the estimators desk, we have dual monitors so the customer can see what is being written,” he says.
Behind the desk is a window that opens to the entire shop floor.
“The customer can see the entire process unfolding from start to finish,” says Shaheen. “We even have a large glass door that shows the insurance adjuster’s room.”
3. The Process
When you walk up to the shop, the first things you see are two garage doors.
Behind the first is where vehicles are disassembled. Their journeys also end behind the first door, as the paint booth is housed there.
“The second door is where the lifts are and is where all the work gets done,” says Shaheen, explaining the shop has tten bays in the second door with enough space to fit twelve cars.
4. The Young Look
As a 32-year-old shop owner, Shaheen is an outlier in the industry.
“I was afraid customers would turn away when they saw a young guy behind the desk,” he says.
While still working for his leading competitor, Shaheen says he got into side work out of his garage.
“They asked me to stop, but I bet on myself and started my own shop,” he says
The bet paid off. In just six short years, Shaheen topped over $700,000 in sales, with a goal of $1 million in 2021.
“While I thought the young face would take business away, it actually helped distinguish me from the rest,” says Shaheen.
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