Punkeydoodles Corners, Ontario — This Ontario auto repair business is shaking things up with a new vertical that draws business in on two fronts.
To combat pandemic slowdowns, Crash Room Repairs in Punkeydoodles Corners, Ontario, recently converted a 25,000 sq. ft. warehouse on the property to a designated area for customers to destroy their vehicles with a variety of tools provided by the business.
Via the Crash Room website, customers can book hour-long time slots in the warehouse, where they are armed with basic tools to wreak havoc on their vehicles, including three buckets of rocks, a Phillips-head screwdriver and a sledgehammer.
Other add-on ‘destroyers’ can be purchased upon arrival at the facility.
The rules are simple, says Bill Helm, owner of the business. The destroyers must prove the vehicle they are demolishing is their own, and no children under three years of age are allowed to attend sessions.
“It’s been great so far,” said Helm. “People everywhere are looking to get their frustrations out after the last year we’ve had. We saw an opportunity, ran with it and couldn’t be happier with the results.”
The business’s most popular deal has been the two-for-one special, said Helm, which offers a discounted rate for a combined smash session and follow-up repair job.
“The price obviously differs depending on vehicle and the amount of damage done in the smash sesh,” said Helm. “But yeah, people have been loving that one. Sometimes you even see them pay extra for valet service over to the shop, if the vehicle is still drivable.”
The facility has also partnered with local auto recyclers in the event customers go a little too ham and turn their vehicle into a total loss.
“When [Bill] first came to me, I thought he was insane,” said Stu Wise, owner of Punkeydoodles Auto Recycling. “I still think that. I was straight-up with him and told him it was a goofy idea, but we’ve been pleasantly surprised with the amount of business he’s directed here.”
