SHINE ON WITH SCOTTY’S SHINE SHOP

THE ONLY WAY IS UP FOR SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO’S TOP AUTO DETAILER.

What do cars and broadcast journalism have in common? Not much, unless you’re Scott Perkin. “I actually got a degree in broadcast journalism but I come from a family of car guys. After receiving my degree, I realized I didn’t really enjoy the broadcasting field, and the job opportunities weren’t that great at the time. I knew a few guys who were detailing cars and I figured I could do a better job than they could.” And so, Scotty’s Shine Shop was born in November 1993. After coming across an opportunity to rent the building in which they’re still located, Perkin got everything together – with help from his late father, Bob – and opened the shop in a matter of weeks. You wouldn’t typically think a shop that opened so quickly would last almost 24 years – but Scotty’s is a bit different than most.

Although Scotty’s tag line reads ‘Fine Auto Detailers,’ Perkin and his team can and will detail almost any type of vehicle. “We perform details on everything from exotic vehicles to classics, minivans, boats, motorcycles and RV’s,” says Perkin. “I don’t want people to be scared off and think we won’t work on their car because they don’t drive a Ferrari, or that they need to spend a thousand dollars to get in the shop door. We service a very wide variety of people and vehicles.”

Whether you need a quality interior detailing performed on your mom-mobile or some precision paint correction and polishing work on your restored classic – work such as paint protection film, window tinting or the latest in glass paint coatings – the team at Scotty’s will do whatever needs doing for your vehicle to feel like new to you again. There are some people out there, however, who can’t easily justify spending money on something as seemingly trivial as getting your car cleaned. Detailing, as it turns out, is much more than that. “Some people have a hard time comprehending how many hours we spend on a vehicle or exactly what it is that we do,” says Perkin. “The customers who do come to us are incredible. They want a great job done the first time, and they’re willing to pay for a higher level of quality and customer service.”

When it comes to the quality of a service like detailing, Perkin has first-hand experience with what it’s like to truly get what you pay for. “When I was 19, I got one of my vehicles painted at a local shop. I couldn’t wrap my head around why the guy was so much cheaper than everyone else. Well, they caused thousands of dollars in damage to my vehicle and within a year, I had to repaint the entire car again. It’s a tough lesson to learn, but you definitely get what you pay for in this business.”

Offering a high-quality service to his customers just makes sense to Perkin. “For most people, your car is the second biggest investment you’ll ever make in your life. It makes sense to invest in it so it will last longer, by doing things like washing it regularly and performing semi-annual details to keep the interior and paint finish in good condition.”

With their brand new, state-of-the-art detailing shop at their new location slated to open this fall, Perkin is excited for what the future holds for his shop and team, and is proud of all they’ve accomplished over the years. “The business we’re in is a meat grinder,” says Perkin. “A typical detail shop will only last for about six months. So honestly, just being open for almost 24 years and continuing to grow and improve and keep learning – it’s awesome. I’m proud of the people who work for us, and of our customers and the relationships we’ve built with them. We never thought we’d be able to do some of the things we’re doing but here we are and I’m really proud of that.”

Written by Jess Campbell