Girlington Garage: Lessons from a woman mechanic.

[Jefferson23]

** Cool story for August 4, 2011


In a bad economy, people tend to fix their cars rather than buy new ones. And while industry experts say that nearly 80 percent of the people who bring their cars in for repair are women, women are far more likely than men to believe their mechanic is taking them for a ride. That's why Demeny Pollitt wanted to open her own garage and probably one reason why she is not short on customers.

"I wanted to provide a place where people didn't feel like they were getting ripped off, where people felt like they could trust what the technicians were saying to them, what the technicians were doing," says Pollitt, owner of Girlington Garage in South Burlington, Vermont. "I think the environment at Girlington Garage is hugely different from most other repair shops you walk in to. And that was really important to me when starting this business."

snip* The idea to open a woman-focused garage came when Pollitt, a former social worker, went back to school to become a mechanic, looking for a rewarding way to make a living. "I realized that I would travel anywhere to have a woman mechanic work on my car, and I realized that probably most women would," she says. "And at that point I started to think it would be really great to have an all-girl garage."



snip* Banks laughed at her when she applied for loans, but in 2009, with a little financial help from her parents, Pollitt opened Girlington Garage in South Burlington, Vermont. And now, business is booming. The garage has experienced a 40-percent increase in sales since December 2009, and the garage's customer base grew from 860 to 2,700 during the same period, says Donna Cacace, Girlington's co-owner and Pollitt's mother. The business is growing so fast that they are increasing the staff -- currently five full-time employees, three of them women, plus a few tech apprentices -- and making equipment purchases, which likely will mean a dip in profits this year. But the customers keep coming: "We have very loyal customers and on any given day 75 to 80 percent of our customers are current and 20 to 25 percent are new so at least for a while, we will continue to grow at a brisk pace in this area," Cacace says.

in full: http://shine.yahoo.com/event/poweryourfuture/girlington-garage-lessons-from-a-woman-mechanic-2516066/

[emilyg]

1. Wish we had one.

[Cronus Protagonist]

2. How can that be legal?

Don't the employment discrimination laws apply? Same applies to Hooters... why can't men work there along with the ladies? I thought we had laws for things like that.

[demmiblue]

4. According to the article:

"The business is growing so fast that they are increasing the staff -- currently five full-time employees, three of them women, plus a few tech apprentices..."

:shrug:

[WinkyDink]

11. Let me know when the NFL admits women, OKAY?

[Warpy]

3. I was a gearhead by default

when I was married, to the point that local junkyards would just wave me through to collect my own parts.

I've never had any mechanic try to take me for a ride even when I've concealed my gearhead past. There have been times I've limped a vehicle in and told him what was wrong and had him hem and haw about other possibilities and said "yeah, it might be that but it's really the overdriven frammijack." He's always called me back a day later to tell me I was right. Again. But he's never tried to charge me for stuff he didn't do or do stuff I didn't want.

My own feeling is that most mechanics are honest guys who want your repeat business just like any other businessman does. Only 2% or so are scumbags.

Unfortunately, people expect to be cheated on things they really don't know how to do a lot of the time and that's sad. It's not just mechanics, it's doctors and other honest, educated people who do things we can't.

I wish Ms. Pollitt all the luck in the world in her new business. In this economy, she should do well.

As long as she's in the honest 98%.

[Jefferson23]

6. Great post, thank you. n/t

[Kali]

7. yep a little knowledge or experience would help

for anybody

[TheMadMonk]

8. Unfortunately SOME have to SEE you as potential repeat business, before...

...the honesty kicks in.

And it's also possible that you checking out his toolbox, rather than wrinkling your nose at his fingernails will have something to do with it. You almost certainly have a number of other tells which indicate your comfort in their environment.

[demmiblue]

5. Very cool! K&R

[freeplessinseattle]

9. Nice. k&r

[WinkyDink]

10. I hope she isn't now using those a**hole banks.