Following in the spirit of George “Pat” Scarlett, who founded Pat’s Body Shop in 1964, the full-service operation on Country Club Road in Winston-Salem you now visit and rely on for every car care need, is a rich blend of family, faith, and an eye on the future.
In Good Company
Looking back, amid those humble beginnings in the 1960s, the community buzz was that Pat delivered top-quality auto repair, along with personal service and, above all, a guarantee you could trust. That success inspired Pat to move to a larger space on Liberty Street in Winston-Salem, and eventually the shift to the company’s current location in 1972.
With Pat’s sister, Sandra, now at the helm after purchasing the business in 1997, this perfect model of a family owned and operated business – and now one of the few woman-owned auto shops – is still known for the personal service Pat himself insisted on in those early years. Backed by a long list of loyal customers through the decades, the business is ever-growing, with something new always on the horizon!
With so many good reasons to frequent Pat’s Body Shop & Towing, let’s start with it being a complete mechanical repair facility, housing the very latest in diagnostic and repair equipment, run by certified, factory-trained technicians who love what they do – including BMW and Mercedes master technicians. Those professionals (many are family) know their craft, and they know their cars! They also know their community and the loyal customers who recommend them again and again, and who know – as does Sandra – why the business is still thriving.
Making a Difference
Pat’s Body Shop & Towing is faith-based, pure and simple, with employees taking turns leading weekly devotion time, and they are known to accept prayer requests from customers – or anyone, really – who drops in as well.
“It’s the only reason we’ve been prosperous,” explains Sandra, who has been around the business since she was a teenager helping out her brother. “God is first.”
The true heart and soul of the family business, Sandra proudly tells that at least half of her 27 employees (many have logged a good many years with the business) call her Mama, every single day. That’s the beauty of a family-owned business that continues to treat both employees and customers – old and new – as family of their own. Sandra’s nephew, Dustin Shoaf, manages the day-to-day workings of Pat’s Body Shop & Towing, while Sandra stays busy with expanding newer ventures including Scarlette Productions, which inspires and promotes local recording artists, and the exciting newest family addition – Scarlette’s Performance & Recovery – which will hold its grand opening Saturday, April 11. Located on S. Main Street in Winston-Salem, the new place will offer a speed shop, performance, and recovery – with an even more expanded towing service which will include three additional tow trucks to add to the fleet of seven tow trucks at the Country Club location.
Pat’s Body Shop & Towing is also a full-service collision repair shop, and a direct repair facility for most insurance companies, and they are willing and happy to provide free estimates! Those services that are so crucial when you’ve faced an accident include collision repair, dent repair, towing, interior work, mechanical work, custom painting, and restoration. If you’re simply in search of custom interior design work, including seat repair, convertible tops, carpet, headliners, door panels, etc., this is also your destination. Is your car or truck looking tired or worn? Their experts will give you a free estimate on a literal “makeover” for your prized automobile as well.
At the very heart of the whirlwind business, Sandra and her team know personable customer service is the key ingredient that sets them apart. “I’ve worked in dealerships where you are just a number, you’re in and out,” she explains. That will never be the case here. Of course, the company has faced challenging times within the industry and the economy, but with hard work, steadfast faith, and down-to-earth values, the business has remained stronger than ever.
“If we had 40 customers in a week back in the early days, we felt great,” says Sandra. “Now, it’s more like 90-120 customers in a week.” Pat’s Body Shop & Towing was also voted 2019 Best Body Shop in the Triad by the Winston-Salem Journal’s People’s Choice Awards. Their 24/7 emergency towing service is one of the busiest elements of the business, and covers a wide service area.
The energetic Sandra is also known around the area as an amazing car collector. She sponsors a local Corvette Club – Generations Vette Club, she races her own cars (both drag racing and road course), and is proud of what she’s named her “Girl Cave” – the fun place where she displays her prized car collection and enjoys gathering friends and family for music events. In her “spare” time she’s also stepped back into competitive body building, a hobby her drive and determination matches perfectly!
If your car is in need of a few repairs, an updated interior, or a shiny new coat of paint, if you’re facing the less-than-pleasant results of a recent fender bender, or you want a trusted contact to have on call when dreaded car emergencies strike, Pat’s is the place for expert work and a face-to-face experience that will bring you back again and again. You’ll most likely hear some good music, too!
Pat’s Body Shop & Towing is located at 5720 Country Club Road, Winston-Salem, 336-945-3767. Visit Pats-bodyshop.com for a glimpse of all their professional services, email them at patbodyshop@aol.com, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram for business updates and events. Join the team on April 11 for the official opening of Scarlette’s Performance & Recovery at 4961 S. Main Street, where Matt Dylan and The HonkyTonk Outlaws will provide tunes for the launch of another successful venture!
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companies and is always happy to provide you with FREE estimates.
