Business Spotlight
502-510-9543
Writer / Gavin LaPaille
Simple Body Shop aims to keep car repairs easy and affordable. Owner John Thornton saw the hassle customers go through with what he considered simple repairs and wanted to remove that inconvenience as much as possible.
“I’ve been doing body work for 17 years,” Thornton says. “If you back up into a pole at a gas station, now you have to turn it into insurance and find a body shop. You have to pay the prices they’re asking for, wait on their time frame. It can be a confusing and complicated process. I wanted to take that and make it simple. I do all the small jobs, and all you have to do is pick your service and the day and time, and you’re set.”
At Simple Body Shop, customers can make an appointment online by uploading a picture of the damage and identifying the part of the car they want repaired — or replaced, if necessary. Simple completes projects on front bumpers, hoods, quarter panels, rear bumpers and more, with upfront pricing so customers know what to expect going in. Cars are returned the same day, making the whole process as fast and easy as possible. Thornton says he keeps prices low by offering to repair impacted areas rather than replacing them, as many body shops do.
“Customers love the price and convenience,” Thornton says. “If I repair a bumper, you’re probably going to pay $350. At a typical body shop, you’re going to pay about $1,000 to $1,500. It’s much more affordable and much more efficient. We offer to repair rather than replace. It saves you part cost and all the teardown and build time. It’s more effort on our part, but that’s how we’re able to keep the cost down for the customer.”
Simple opened in J-Town in 2024 and has been a big success. Its location right off the Gene Snyder and Taylorsville Road at 3705 Hopewell Road provides convenient access and visibility while still maintaining a neighborhood feel. Thornton says his five-year plan is to continue expanding his staff so more dates and times are available, and possibly open additional locations.
Thornton works with customers to avoid insurance claims, Carfax reports and the long waits traditional body shops often require to complete repairs.
“It’s a totally new concept,” Thornton says. “There’s not another one in Kentucky that can do these jobs as affordably and efficiently. Everyone is amazed by the quick turnaround, and that translates to good word of mouth, which brings more people in.”
For more information on Simple Body Shop, call 502-510-9543 or visit them online at thesimplebodyshop.com.
Comments 1
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