Husband & wife team makes service and quality work their top priority
A little more than ten years ago, after spending much of their careers working for others, Sue and Kent Nicholson realized that together they had an ideal combination of work experience to go into business for themselves in the transmission repair and auto service business. In December of 2003, the couple took over the Cottman franchise on Cobb Parkway South, which had been there since 1982.
The Auto Repair Business
“Both of us are hard workers,” Sue said, “and for many years we worked for others as if they were our own businesses. After 30 years of working for others, we finally decided that if we were going to work so hard, we might as well do it for ourselves.”
A move into the auto repair business seemed like a perfect fit, she recalled. Kent’s background was in trucking and fleet maintenance, while Sue had a solid background in finance. Kent and their son also worked on race cars, which their son raced on weekends.
“After a race, they would tear the entire car apart, rebuild it and start again, week after week,” Sue said.
The couple, who both are originally from Rochester, N.Y., moved to Marietta in 1982 for Kent’s job with a transportation logistics firm.
The move to become a Cottman franchisee came after they spotted an ad for a business for sale. “The timing was right for us,” Sue said. “We did our due diligence and felt we could make a success of it.”
For the past ten years, the Nicholsons have worked hard to earn a reputation in the community for quality. “Quality, to us, means doing good work with reliable results, backed by honesty and integrity. That’s what we always strive for in our service to customers.”
Sue is active in the community and is on the board of Marietta Business Association. Their shop also participates in educational outreach for seniors, offering tips on car maintenance. They also participate in local college events where they offer free auto diagnosis and troubleshooting for students.
Transmission Repair Shop In Marietta, GA
To enhance their reputation for quality, they just completed a major remodel inside and outside. They renovated the building exterior and remodeled the interior with a new comfortable waiting area and a work environment that is neat and clean. They also added a 40-foot concrete pad and invested in four portable column-lifts that can each lift 18,000 pounds. “We now have full capability to service RVs and big-box trucks,” Sue Nicholson said. “We also do a lot of work on classic cars, which has become a specialty for us.”
Cottman of Marietta is at 1775 Cobb Parkway South. They can be reached at 770-980-1220 and online at www.cottmanofmarietta.com.