July 7, 2016—CARSTAR announced Tuesday the opening of two new CARSTAR collision repair shops in Alberta, Canada. One shop is in Olds, while the other is in Cardston. 

The Olds location is owned and operated by Rod Pederson and managed by Randy Yantz. The shop has been around since 1979. Pederson purchased the business from his father. 

“The days of the independent body shops are a thing of the past,” Pederson said. “Now you need the brand recognition, state-of-the-art training and knowledgeable support staff that a big name provides. With CARSTAR, we are getting all of those things, plus more!”

The Cardston location is a third-generation family business which first opened in 1955. Franchise partner Darin Sommerfeldt started in the repair business in the early 1980s. His parents retired from the business about ten years ago, and the it is currently run by Sommerfeldt and his brother, Michael.

“CARSTAR really seemed like the right choice for our business,” Sommerfeldt said. “They are a powerful brand with positive reputation in the Alberta market. We are excited to join the CARSTAR network and look forward to improving our business through their support.”