ShawneeDispatch.com

After 30 years in business, an area auto shop has picked up and moved to new facilities in Shawnee.

Weaver's Auto Center, Inc. opened last week at its new location in Shawnee, 6502 Vista Dr., with a building that includes state-of-the-art machinery and workspaces. But even with the fancy new digs the core of the business remains the same: friendly, hometown service and highly professional repair.

Weaver's provides almost any kind of automotive repair: collision repair, refinishing and mechanical services.

"It'd be easier for me to tell you what we don't do," Tony Adams, co-owner, said.

And those two things are glasswork and interiors or upholstery. But even for that work, Weaver's has vendors who come out to do it on site.

Mike Weaver, Sr., started the business in Merriam in 1975. John and Susan Weaver took over in the mid-1980's. Adams started with the business himself in 1989, becoming a manager in 1992 and a co-owner in 1995.

"John and Susan are like my second set of parents, I've been with them so long," Adams said.

Weaver's had two buildings, one for collision repairs and one for mechanical repairs, at I-35 and Johnson Drive. But when developers teamed with the city of Merriam to create what will be the Merriam Center development, Weaver's was among the existing businesses condemned.

When they couldn't find a new location in Merriam, Adams said the owners first considered going south, possibly to southern Overland Park, but they saw that many of their competitors were headed the same way.

But in western Shawnee, they found similar growth without all of the competition, and a location close enough for their loyal customers. The site also allowed the shop to go from 15,400 square feet to just lest than 21,000 square feet, with room to grow.

Adams said about 67 percent of the shop's business consists of repeat customers and referrals, and the business wanted to show its customers appreciation in the new building.

Since the original location had little office space, the additional square footage in the new building is almost entirely in the office. It contains a customer lounge with a cappuccino machine and three workstations with Internet access, both wireless and grounded, for customers who need to work while they wait.

"We bring a relaxed, family-type atmosphere to what we do," Adams said. "We try and make a very professional and customer-oriented environment."

The benefit of designing the new building was not only customer space, but also creating a workspace that allows for a smooth transition through the different stations of automotive work. A car can be moved throughout the work area without ever going outside.

Another new feature is the indoor bay area dedicated both for insurance inspection and for customers who want to get a good look at the work done on their car, whether the weather is accommodating or not.

"When I do a $10,000 collision repair, they want to see what I've done," Adams said. "A car is the most expensive purchase for people, after a house. It means a lot to them; that's why they name their cars and practically live in their cars."

And Weaver's made sure it had the space to expand in the future. Its site was designed with room to add another 10,000 square feet and more parking. The office includes three insurance estimator's offices, though the shop has just two currently.

"Everything can be extended without interrupting the everyday flow of business," Adams said.

Contact Weaver's at 441-0001.