Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Stiles.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Aaron. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I got into this industry sort of by accident. I got bit by the Hotrod bug in my late teen years and growing up in northern New Hampshire wasn’t exactly the hot spot for muscle cars and performance; the ONLY place you could get work done was at the local dealership and we all know how easy that is on the wallet. After several frustrating visits to the dealer and the accompanying sticker shock, I decided that I would learn how to fix and upgrade vehicles on my own so that I would never have to deal with the high prices and inferior work that I had been experiencing.
My parents were less than enthusiastic at first, I can remember one evening when my Dad came home from work and found me in the garage with my previously assembled and running car, the engine and transmission removed and completely taken apart. At first, he was upset and couldn’t understand why I took everything apart, I explained that I wanted to find out how everything worked, and he just shook his head and went inside for dinner. It wasn’t until a few days later when he came home to find the car all back together and running, that he looked at me a little differently and I think it was at that point that he understood that I had a knack for mechanical stuff.
Fast forward 20 something years and my life has been completely engrossed by cars; muscle cars, classic cars, sports cars, it’s a drug for me, I don’t smoke, drink, party, etc. I just love cars. When I decided to start my own business 7 years ago, it was risky, we were in the middle of a recession and everyone thought I was crazy, but I knew that with my knowledge and passion for what I do, that I could make it work. I get to get up every morning and do something that I love, and seeing my customers able to enjoy something that they have been wanting for a long time or bringing a classic back to life that hasn’t been on the road in years is very satisfying, it certainly makes my job more enjoyable than what most people get to do.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It was most definitely and still is a challenge to own your own business. I remember my wife was less than pleased with my decision at first but she went along with it. We had to downsize everything; I gave up a good job at a bodyshop in Buckhead to follow my dream. When I started out I was in a tiny shop with a tiny parking lot and was working solely by myself for the first 2 years. I worked 12-16 hour days with no heat and no A/C, no lift, so all the work, no matter how grueling was done on the floor with a jack and jack stands. I finally was able to afford a lift and a mechanic to help with the work and we ended up outgrowing the tiny shop very quickly, after 3 years it was time to look for a bigger building. In 2013, we moved to our current location and business has increased again. It continues to be very rewarding but very difficult to keep everything rolling smoothly, if I had to put my finger on the biggest obstacle, it would be the lack of qualified mechanics available today. It seems as though we are a dying breed replaced by computers and robots, yet there are loads of jobs in this industry that desperately need to be filled.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Detroit Muscle – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
The first question most people ask, is if we’re from Detroit. The name of my business signifies what we work on, only domestic classic and modern muscle and sports cars and trucks. We specialize in vehicles made from 1955 to 1979 as well as modern performance from the late 90s to now. We do work on vehicles from other years on a case by case basis. We do everything from stock repairs and restorations as well as upgrades and modernization with overdrive transmissions, fuel injection, disc brakes, air conditioning, etc on these vehicles. Our favorite part of the job is when we get to make horsepower; we are all gearheads and we love a muscle car with a killer stance and a rumbling beast under the hood. We are an authorized dealer/installer for many of the big aftermarket vendors.
Our tagline is “Reviving the American Legend”. This represents more than just a company that repairs or restores old cars, it’s a tribute; American vehicles built by American companies for American consumers at a time when Detroit, Michigan was the “industrial mecca” of the world. Many American cars were and still are Legendary; names like Camaro, Chevelle, Challenger, Mustang, Corvette, these cars are world famous and no other cars built by any other country in the world, ever, have the presence or the sentiment that these cars and others like them possess. They were built in a time when “Made in America” meant quality, the cars had soul because they were designed by people that had passion and soul, not by computers or study groups trying to meet crash or emissions standards. People were proud of the cars they drove and the country that built them.
I get to go to work every day and work with that mindset; that we are working on what was once the best the world had to offer. I do my best to share that mindset with my customers through our quality of work. I think that one of my favorite things about owning this business is that many of my customers become friends and family; we get to see them enjoy a vehicle that they either grew up with or always wanted, we get to watch their kids grow up and get into the hobby, they get their drivers licenses and start their own memories. We get to be a part of something very special in these people’s lives and we get there by treating our customers better than the average shop; I offer services that dealerships and franchise repair facilities just can’t do. I make personal roadside repairs, pickup and drop off vehicles to and from customers houses, work 7 days a week and late into the night to make sure a car is done when needed, I’ve even loaned my personal vehicles out to ensure the customer could get home or to work. It’s the very personal level of commitment to my customers that they simply can’t get anywhere else.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We are about a year and a half away from expanding again to a bigger location, we’re trying to get everything under one roof, mechanical repairs as well as paint and body, tires and alignment, etc. so that we don’t have to rely on subletting any of our work out and risk something going wrong or not meeting our standards. We are also getting ready to launch a series of new vehicles that you can buy right at the dealer, just like back in the 60’s. Our Detroit Muscle Edition Vehicles will embody the spirit of these days gone by with power add-ons, unique bodywork, wheels and tires etc. I don’t want to give too much away right now but they will be special, limited production cars.
My vision for the future of Detroit Muscle is simple; to continue to do our part in Reviving the American Legend.
I started this business from nothing and I hope that before it’s all over, I am able to have my 4 children working with me and ultimately pass it along to them to share their visions with the future generation of Hot Rodders.
Contact Info:
- Address: 910 Jamerson Road, Marietta, Ga 30066
- Website: detroitmuscleshop.com
- Phone: 4048054292
- Email: detroitmuscleshop@gmail.com
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