For more than a decade, 5th Street Autobody has been a valuable part of the Estevan business community, helping customers get their vehicles to the condition they desire.
The business, located in the 600-block of Fifth Street, opened in the spring of 2007 and has been run by the same five partners from the outset: Scott Bussian, Mark Sandquist, Tim and Trent Monteyne, and Alroy Yoner.
鈥淲e all worked together in one form, one way or another, and have kept it going,鈥� Bussian said.
Three other full-time employees work at 5th Street Autobody.
The business provides autobody repair, with custom painting, glass repairs and replacements, including windshields. They also do car restorations and work for Saskatchewan Government Insurance.
Restorations are a growing part of the business, he said. People are starting to spend money on projects like classic vehicles again, now that Estevan is removed from the economic boom years and people have adjusted financially.
鈥淭hey want their older cars to be nice,鈥� he said.
Bussian describes the restorations as a fun aspect of the job.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 one that I really enjoy,鈥� Bussian said. 鈥淚t has a satisfaction to it, to take something that might be completely destroyed by Mother Nature from sitting in a field somewhere, or in a garage and never looked at for 25-30 years, to make it new again.鈥�
The business receive recognition for a paint job it completed a couple of years ago on a 1970 Dodge Dart that earned them a spot in the 2018 PPG calendar. PPG is the supplier of their finishing system.
The car was pink in colour originally, Bussian said, and their work turned out great.
鈥淭here are very few cars that are pink, and this is one of them that we got to do, and it made the calendar.鈥�
Each of the partners and the employees have something associated with their job that they enjoy, which allows them to bring a variety of strengths and skills to the business.
It continues to be a busy place, with a lot of activity in their back shop area. Hail claims still account for a good part of their business, stemming from the severe thunderstorm that swept through the Estevan area in June 2018.
鈥淭hose are still rolling in, and deer claims now are coming at this time of year,鈥� Bussian said. 鈥淐ollisions are coming in like crazy.鈥�
The feedback that they receive from customers is generally pretty positive. They have a lot of repeat clients, and Bussian believes that reflects the satisfaction levels of their customers.
Bussian said 5th Street Autobody is a great place to work. He described them all as 鈥渃ar people,鈥� and that鈥檚 the biggest difference for the business. Ever since they were in high school, they鈥檝e been working on cars and fixing them up, and now they get to come to work every day to make cars look better.
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