By By JAMES COLLINS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- Being in the business of auto retail and repairs for more than 20 years, Rex Carpenter knows the mistrust that many consumers have for the industry and is looking to dispel that with his new business.
Carpenter opened Two Guys Garage and Custom, located at 935 Cherry St., in January with the intention of having a garage built on quality service, trust and customer satisfaction.
He cited dishonest business practices, incomplete service work and the addition of hidden charges as some of the things he saw in the industry that he wanted to get away from.
He also got tired of the impersonal service provided by the large companies that he has worked for and wanted to turn that around to make it a cornerstone of his business.
Calling his customers by name, offering them rides to and from the shop and giving out his home phone number are a few of the little things Carpenter does to create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
In addition to general automotive services in areas such as brakes, exhaust, engine tune-ups and suspension, the garage offers performance engine and body modifications and a complete detailing service.
The business lives up to its name with only two employees on staff, Carpenter and mechanic Cecil Karn.
Carpenter is a ASE and state certified mechanic, who has been working on cars since the age of 12.
He still does some work in the garage, but a majority of his workload concerns the business and management aspect of the shop.
He was born and raised in Niles and graduated from Niles High School in 1974.
Before opening the garage, Carpenter worked as the manager of Muffler Man and prior to that he was employed at area dealerships for more than 18 years.
He said business at Two Guys Garage started out very slow when it opened in January, but it has been improving lately with help from positive word of mouth and repeat customers.