“CARSTAR in those early years really did not have much to offer its franchise partners, as there was no buying power, industry relationships or brand reputation like there is today,” says Doug Pike, owner, Pike’s CARSTAR Collision. “There was some information, but the real benefit was the colleagues and having other owners knowing what you are going through, but not competing against you.” Thirty years later, CARSTAR still understands the value of that bond amongst owners and has formalized this experience into, “EDGE Performance Groups,” that sees owners come together to best practice share and learn about the latest industry updates. “I am thankful to my colleagues and all of the support we have provided one another over the years, but I am eternally grateful for the incredible staff we have at our store.” Pike continues, “With most of them being with us for more than 20 years, coming to us right out of vocational school, we have been able to build a dependable and trusted relationship with one another. A COPD diagnosis, awaiting a lung transplant and then undergoing a lung transplant surgery all sidelined me for a few years. During this time, the team was always there to keep the business moving forward, even with a complete rebranding happening at our facility.” With lots of industry change happening over the past several years, the Pike’s look back to how far they have come and where they see the industry going. “I remember when we got our first computer, which was 120MB and nobody thought it belonged in a shop,” says Pike. “It is funny to look back now as we have so much technology in our facility and there is no way I could have guessed that we would be here 30 years later. I have a feeling advancements are not slowing anytime soon and I would guess that the electric technology will continue to develop and maybe 30 years later we will have fewer gas powered vehicles on the road.” The Pike’s have much more to look forward to, as they continue to work alongside their fellow CARSTAR owners and friends in their EDGE Performance Groups, working to advance the facility. However, on a more personal note, they are excited to be celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary in 2020 and continuing to spend time with their three daughters and their families. For more information on CARSTAR or joining the franchise family, visit CARSTAR.com.About CARSTAR CARSTAR is North America’s largest network of independently owned and operated collision repair facilities with more than 650 locations in 35 states and 10 Canadian provinces. A part of the Driven Brands family of automotive aftermarket franchise brands, CARSTAR delivers national scale, premier vehicle repairs, repeatable outcomes and the industry’s highest customer satisfaction ratings. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, CARSTAR has maintained its commitment to give back to the communities it serves through a variety of fundraising initiatives, including raising over $3 million for Cystic Fibrosis Canada, and has made fighting cystic fibrosis its cause, North American wide. For more information visit www.carstar.com and www.carstar.ca and follow on Facebook, twitter and LinkedIn. CARSTAR is actively seeking new franchise partners and interested parties should contact 844-906-9764.
Pike’s CARSTAR Collision, located in Madison, Ohio, proudly celebrated its 30th CARSTAR anniversary at the annual CARSTAR conference, hosted in Chicago, Illinois.
