Telegram photo by Bashar Alshabi lenconnect_com |
Scott Bayles, Owner of Scott’s Body Shop, is seen in the spray booth at his shop in Adrian
At a glance…
WHAT: Scotty’s Body Shop
WHERE: 2410 E. U.S. 223, Adrian
HOURS: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
PHONE: 517-265-3711
Daily Telegram Special Writer
Posted Dec. 20, 2015 at 12:00 PM
In July 1990, Scott Bayles was 26 years old with a 2-year-old son when he went into business for himself as the owner of Scotty’s Body Shop.Now, Scotty’s Body Shop is marking its 25th year of operation and that son works for him, as do — or have along the way — several other family members.Bayles got into the body-shop business in the first place because he had always enjoyed working on cars, and then married the daughter of the then-owner of Kelly’s Body Shop. He worked for several independent shops and dealerships before deciding to open his own place.“It was a big jump to go out on my own,” he said. And so, to start out slowly, he first opened up shop in a rented building, but in a year’s time the business had already outgrown its location, leading him to purchase an old warehouse at 2410 E. U.S. 223 in Adrian. That’s where he’s been ever since.Being in business for 25 years doesn’t come about without having great relationships with customers, and Bayles prides himself on both the quality of his shop’s work and on the fact that he and his staff go the extra mile for their customers. “In a small community, with a family business, that kind of relationship is important,” he said. “You’re not just a number.”The shop offers a lifetime warranty on its repair work. “We’ll take care of anything down the line that happens related to our workmanship,” Bayles said.Bayles described himself as “picky” when it comes to doing body work properly, and “I have a well-trained staff that will do it the way I want it done,” he said. In fact, when business grew to the point that he employed 12 people, he discovered that he didn’t have the kind of oversight of each customer’s vehicle that he wanted to have. “It was too big,” he said.Today, he employs seven people, three of whom are family members. Others in the family have also worked for him over time.Scotty’s does a full range of bodywork related to collision damage, focusing on collision work rather than other types of services because “we’re not going to try to be a jack of all trades,” Bayles said.He and his employees keep up with the latest products — and is one of just a few body shops in the area that have “gone green” with Envirobased waterborne paint — and repair techniques. “I don’t believe in not changing just because what you’re doing is working,” he said. “If you don’t change, you’re not moving forward.
Bayles said that while he doesn’t know where 25 years have gone, he is very thankful to the community “for allowing us to serve them” and for doing business with a local shop. And, he said, the goal he set for himself all those years ago when it came to how he wanted to do business has been realized.“I had a dream of how I wanted it to go and how I wanted to treat customers,” he said. “And I’ve been very fortunate. It’s worked out fine.”Scotty’s Body Shop is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The shop can be reached at 265-3711 or by email at scottys2410@live.com. It is also online at
www.scottysautobodyshop.com and on Facebook.