Birmingham’s Best Auto Repair Shop:

EUROPEAN EXPERTISE WITH AVONDALE SWAGGER

“Nobody wants to hang out at a dealership when they’re having their car repaired,” says Brad Duffy, owner of Duffy’s Garage in downtown Birmingham. “Dealership lobbies are cold, sterile, and deadly boring. Who wants to sit around in glorified folding chairs while you drain your phone battery looking for something to occupy your time?” Because he knows how miserable it can be to wait for car repairs, Brad Duffy is moving Duffy’s Garage to the center of all the action in Avondale January 6th 2020, and his brand-new concept in car repair shops will knock your socks off.

Duffy’s Garage moves to Avondale and adopts the Avondale attitude.

There are restaurants, breweries, and live music venues galore in Avondale, Birmingham’s emerging hot spot. Duffy’s Garage will be just as unique an experience as hanging out at The Marble Ring or kicking back at the Avondale Coffee Club – only now you can get your European import car repaired during all the fun. Brad Duffy explains what is so awesome about moving his garage to Avondale: “I wanted a singular garage campus with plenty of parking, convenience, and a completely unique customer experience.  Our brand-new waiting rooms and lobby are extremely comfy and cozy. It’s a place you’d want to voluntarily hang out – not remotely ‘cold’ like a dealership, or the feeling you’re being ‘sold’ to at all times.” Duffy plans to run lunchtime shuttles to all the local Avondale restaurants so that his customers can drop off their cars during their lunch break and get a bite to eat while they wait. This type of customer convenience is a big mission at the new Duffy’s garage. A brand-new concept in car repair facilities. For those customers who come in after hours, you’ll feel like you’re at your neighborhood hangout. “The new building is just cool,” remarks Duffy. “My goal was to create an ‘adult playhouse’ where people actually want to wait to have their car repaired.” And indeed, with vaulted ceilings, and 1500 square feet outfitted with two 75” inch TVs, arcade games, a pool table, and comfy leather couches, the lounge area is a place you’ll want to loiter – with nary a dealership salesperson in sight. In addition, GrubHub delivers from each of the neighborhood’s six restaurants, so you’ll never be without creature comforts while waiting on your car. In fact, word on the street is that there is actually a beer tap built somewhere within the new Duffy’s Garage if you are lucky enough to stumble across it. (We won’t tell!) That’s just another example of how far Brad Duffy is willing to go to provide a customer experience that’s never been seen before in a car repair shop.

Duffy’s Garage already has a reputation for customer service in Birmingham. When you walk into the downtown location of Duffy’s Garage, you’ll likely see Brad Duffy on the phone with a customer. (He answers all incoming calls at Duffy’s Garage.)  Customers tend to mill around talking with each other as their cars are being repaired because Duffy’s is such a friendly, easygoing environment. And that’s exactly the way Brad Duffy likes it. Duffy, a lifelong Birmingham resident, has spent 22 years in the automotive industry in one form or another. He started off his career selling cars and later became the District Manager for Autotrader.com.  Having owned several businesses after that (a marketing company, then an auto detail business), he sold everything in late 2009 and went all-in on what would later become known as Birmingham’s Best Mechanic by Birmingham Magazine for five straight years.

Repair shops focus on everything but customer service. Not Duffy’s Garage. Duffy’s Garage was designed as an all-in-one service center, with the central idea of focusing on customer service, something quite rare for a mechanic shop.  Says Duffy, “We want to make sure that whatever our customers’ needs are, we can take care of it. You can ask anyone who has come into our garage about their experience – 120 positive Google Reviews don’t lie. We do what we say we’re gonna do.” “We keep customers informed and don’t try to sell them unnecessary services. We create a warm, inviting environment where people enjoy hanging out.  We plan to take this attitude with us to Avondale – it’ll just be in a place where customers can experience more fantastic amenities while they wait!”