Brad Woodie knows something about cars. In fact, it may be said that cars are in his blood. Woodie is the son of a man who spent his life in auto repair, and now runs a franchise of auto repair shops in the Charlotte area. The family connection doesn’t stop there though, as the next generation of the Woodie family is also part of the family business.
Woodie’s Auto Service and Repair centers started with Brad’s father, on Independence Boulevard in 1963. The nondescript Esso station was the genesis of what is now ten family-owned locations in and around Charlotte, as well as the first South Carolina location about to open in Indian Land.
That little Esso station was built on the integrity of great service to loyal and local customers, and that pledge to their patrons is still the heart of Woodie’s locations today.
While the business has grown in size and number, it remains the only franchised auto service and repair shop in the Charlotte area to have sustained it’s independently owned status. As more and more privately owned locations are being consumed by large, faceless chains in the auto repair world, the Woodie family stands stoic to it’s family-run roots and remains in Woodie family hands. Brad Woodie makes sure to be a steady presence in all his stores, continuing to be involved in the day-to-day of his growing business to be sure the customer relationships he values so highly don’t become distant to him even as he handles the multifaceted inner workings of a growing company.
Woodie’s Auto Service and Repair is known for its quality, reliability and honestly. These traits are often difficult to come by in the auto repair business, and customers value the ethical and friendly experiences Woodie’s is built on so much that many of their customers have a lifelong relationship with their local shop. Having customers on a first name basis are what Brad and the Woodie family are all about.
With a record of a long running relationship as a priority in his shops, when Brad decided to open his Indian Land location he knew he needed a mechanic of strong moral character and a deep history with the community. He found the right man for the job in Doug Emerson- a Tri-W area resident who has been taking care of Waxhaw area automotive needs for 25 years at Summerfield’s.
Emerson has somewhat of a cult following as a repairman in Waxhaw, as his reputation of honest and dependable work precedes him. Woodie is pleased to have his newest location safely in such good hands, and looks forward to extending his old fashioned personal touches in the auto service industry to the loyal clients Emerson will bring with him to his new position.
Being from the community, and part of it, both men understand the value of doing right by people, and therefore; have the unusual demographics of more female clientele in the Woodie’s Auto Service and Repair roster than male. Woodie’s takes pride in going above and beyond in meeting the unique needs of female patrons, and their efforts have made them a popular choice with this subset of car owners.
Woodie’s takes pride in being highly involved in the community through sponsorship of local sports teams and fundraising events for the school system, as well as faith and civic organizations. As Woodie’s moves into the Waxhaw area, they have already begun talks to team with both Indian Land and Marvin Ridge school districts for such events. They plan to extend their opportunities into Waxhaw and Cuthbertson districts as well.
Look for Brad and Doug to be out and about in the community in the upcoming months, and take time to stop in the new location and get to know them. Woodie’s Auto Service and Repair, “Our family serving yours since 1963”
Go to Woodiesautoservice.com for an extensive website with more information.
