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Garrett Kubiak, a Detroit-area franchisee with the auto-detailing and retail brand, just opened his second location and is already seeing massive success.
As an entrepreneur with a lifelong love of the automotive industry, Garrett Kubiak said he’s living the dream as a Detroit-area franchisee with Detail Garage — the 75-plus unit retail store for auto care enthusiasts, passionate car owners and detailing professionals.
Kubiak, who moved back home to Michigan after leaving a financing career in California, owns two Detail Garage locations in Sterling Heights and Livonia. His second location just opened in June 2021 and has already amassed nearly $100,000 in sales.
“As an individual, the dream that I had was already fulfilled,” Kubiak said. “My dream was to come back home, move to a career that I love and that I’m passionate about, and know that every day, I’m leaving my family for a reason. Why spend that time doing something that doesn’t make you absolutely happy? It took me 15 years to find and follow that journey. Now, I’m managing the evolution of that dream.”
Kubiak was first introduced to Detail Garage and their Chemical Guys product line as a customer at the original Los Angeles location about three years ago.
“We had a ‘68 Camaro that was our pride and joy, and we would go to the Detail Garage Los Angeles events,” he said. “We got to meet [Detail Garage co-founder] Paul Schneider, and he was a guy who has been tremendously successful at any endeavor he does. He finds out I’m interested and walks my wife and me through the HQ and the lab and the bottling and labeling area. I looked at my wife and said, ‘A guy who’s that passionate to take 30 to 45 minutes during an event to walk us through this is pretty special to me, and that kind of leadership deserves at least my interest.’ My wife knew how passionate I was about cars and automotive products, and that’s how the dance began.”
Schneider founded Detail Garage in 2008, along with partner David Knotek, to create the ultimate community for car care enthusiasts. Since the first store opened, Detail Garage has become a full automotive lifestyle brand by combining globally recognized retail products with industry-leading innovations, providing customers with the best the industry has to offer in terms of products, tools, accessories and consumer education.
“We were founded by two professional auto detailers and passionate car lovers,” said Detail Garage Director of Business Development Chad Zani. “Detail Garage was born out of a need we saw within the auto detailing industry for a more community-like feel. We wanted to avoid the generic, impersonal atmosphere you find at other auto stores. We wanted a big space that welcomes customers into a relaxed environment and creates the best auto care shopping experience.”
Kubiak said he has Zani to thank for the leap of faith he took in switching careers and making the move back to Michigan to start up his own Detail Garage.
“He simplified it, taking a scary process and mentoring me and giving us his marketing plan,” he said. “He's given us some ideas, and we've tweaked things that we see at the grassroots level. It's been great having somebody like that who really gives you that vote of confidence that you're going to crush it.”
Kubiak and other automotive professionals are keenly aware that with nearly 287 million vehicles on the road in the U.S., the demand for cars, car services and car accessories isn’t going anywhere. Add to that an automotive industry that has been one of the most resilient business models throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and Detail Garage has set its owners up for success.
The brand’s popular consumer offering and streamlined operations helped it see an impressive 28% increase in year-over-year sales in 2020. Now, its winning business model is catching the eye of business-savvy entrepreneurs, with 25 franchises sold so far in 2021.
“We’re not looking for any particular background or experience in our franchisees — just a passion for cars and people,” Zani said. “Franchisees don’t need to do any detailing — they just need to follow the system, greet people with a smile, shake hands and share their passion. For people who love cars, this is a business that really doesn’t feel like work. There really is nothing else like it in the automotive or franchising worlds.”
In the wake of COVID, Kubiak said Zani and the corporate team have really stepped up for its franchisees.
“As a brand, we’ve faced so many different faces of COVID in areas around all the locations, but in Michigan, it was especially aggressive,” he said. “The corporate team realized the gravity of it and suspended franchise fees. This year, they're taking the brunt of shipping logistics, and they haven’t increased my costs at all. So they’re doing what they can as a parent company to keep things moving forward, and I don’t think they get enough credit for that.”
Detail Garage positions owners like Kubiak for success by offering a robust support infrastructure and continuous training, which covers everything from operations and staffing to technology and marketing. Additionally, franchisees can focus on building long-lasting customer relationships through community outreach events. After hosting in-store events, franchisees typically see three times higher sales from attendees than an average customer. Other benefits include the brand’s low-cost business model, beloved consumer offering and massive social media presence.
Kubiak offered a few words of advice from his time in financing to pass along to potential franchisees. He said he’s had the same thing to say to everyone interested in owning a Detail Garage location who has come across his path since his first introduction with the brand 13 years ago.
“I learned something when I was 25, sitting across from a gentleman who was taking out some money from a very large investment portfolio, who told me, ‘The only thing you can know with any certainty in life is do what you love and the money will come,’” he said. “If you’re buying a franchise to make money, could you? Absolutely. If you’re doing it because it’s what you want to do and what you love, you’d be stupid not to.”
Kubiak is continuing on his journey of success with Detail Garage, signing on to open additional locations over the next few years.
“The initial plan was to do five throughout all of Michigan by 2025, and we’re still on track for that,” he said. “We're also expanding the opportunity outward, potentially even into Grand Rapids and some other areas that are well outside of the Metro Detroit market.”
As the brand looks to expand its reach to 100 open units this year, followed by 50 locations added to the system each year after, the Detail Garage team has received hundreds of franchise leads and is quickly becoming one of the most exciting opportunities in the franchising world. Looking ahead, the team has identified the Sunbelt, from California to Florida, as well as New York, New Jersey and the Midwest as prime markets for growth, and it is actively seeking qualified franchisee candidates in those markets.
Franchise opportunities range from $150,975 - $260,450. For more information, visit: https://www.detailgarage.com/franchising.html
About Detail Garage
Started in 2008 by professional auto detailers, Detail Garage was born out of a need for the ultimate playground and community for car care enthusiasts. It is the country's go-to retail car care store for passionate car owners and detailing professionals. With 70 locations already in operation around the world, the Detail Garage team is looking to reach 100 units open this year, followed by 50 locations added to the system each year following.
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