By Tom Williams
To say John Wells has had a lifetime romance with cars would be a gross understatement. He was the typical ’50s-and-’60s car guy. John started by hanging around Wells Motor Company, his dad’s mechanical repair shop in Jeffersonville, Ind. While in high school, he and his brother opened Wells Brothers Body Shop in the late ’50s.
John Wells opened his own shop, Wells Body Shop, in downtown Jeffersonville in 1961. Working solo out of a small shop, his business grew, and he eventually added two employees. But after losing a low bid job to a local Chevy dealer, he decided it might be time to join the competition and went to work for Wilcox Chevrolet, where he met his eventual business partner, Marvin Gray.
They were the only body shop employees and it didn’t take long for John to figure out they could do better as partners in their own shop. It took some convincing for Marvin Gray, but in June 1970, Gray & Wells Collision Center opened in downtown Jeffersonville. Things went well. As the business grew, they added employees, remodeled the original office and shop, and eventually bought the building across the street.
In the best of times, business partnerships can be difficult, but not with Gray and Wells. Marvin Gray retired on Dec. 31, 1988, and turned over his share of the business to his son, Steve. Steve Gray earned his stripes working in the shop after school, learning the trade from the bottom up. The changeover was an easy transition and the “new” partnership continues to thrive. Steve Gray was off the day we visited.
Most of Gray & Wells’ employees have been with them for many years. Their production manager has been here over 25 years. Wells said it is hard to find good body techs, but they employ nine long-term body men, two painters, one paint prep tech, and have one intern, a student at Prosser Career Education Center in New Albany, Ind., who works three to four hours a day.
Rounding out the shop are two parts people, two in clean-up and a full-time janitor/driver. They also employ three full-time estimators, a bookkeeper, and a receptionist. In addition to a large staff, Gray & Wells provides office space for insurance adjusters. State Farm has on-sight adjusters at least three days a week and uses Gray & Wells’ conference room and shop as a regional training center. The Progressive adjuster has been a friend of John’s since 1968 and also maintains an on-site office. Gray & Wells believes in good relationships with insurers and have DRP agreements with most of the majors.
One key to keeping long-term employees is paying your people well, and Wells said they pay better than most shops in the area. But that is not the only reason there is very little turn over. Everybody is treated with fairness and honesty, Wells said, and there is a true feeling of family at Gray & Wells.
With new technologies and changing techniques affecting automotive repair almost daily, education and training are increasingly important aspects of any successful shop in today’s market. In spite of the fact I-CAR training has gotten pricey, just about everybody has been through some I-CAR training. With these changes comes the need for more certification in multiple areas. For instance, they are no strangers to working with aluminum, and are close to being a certified-Ford aluminum shop.
Like most river towns, Jeffersonville fell victim to its river, the mighty Ohio River. Gray & Wells Collision Center was able to survive the flood waters, but the city had plans for a new flood control system which included a canal that would run through their property. John Wells and Steve Gray fought the city, but after about a year and half, they gave in to the threat of eminent domain, “sold the farm,” and four years ago they moved to their current location at 2005 E. 10th Street in Jeffersonville, a former new car dealership, then went to work building a first-class, modern shop. Major improvements included a drive-through write-up area for estimates in the front of the building that can accommodate six to eight cars plus a spacious customer reception area.
The new shop is over 22,000 square feet and has 48 work bays under one roof. It features three frame machines, three new Blowtherm down-draft paint booths, and a PPG water-borne paint system. A lifetime limited warranty for as long as the customer owns their car accompanies each collision repair.
Gray & Wells doesn’t limit themselves to just major collision repair. They also offer A/C recovery and recycling, minor electrical, such as power window motors and sunroofs, and basic detailing, While many shops today prefer not to get involved in restorations, Wells said they do take in the occasional job for old customers.
Wells himself is a hotrod fanatic, and some of his cars have appeared on magazine covers and have won many awards over they years. He does most of his restorations and customizing after hours at home. Wells isn’t a golfer. His hobby is hotrods.
He believes in strong community involvement, including Toys for Tots, blood drives, school athletics, and special events, such as car shows to benefit veterans. They have also been known to provide a little pro-bono work in the community for people down on their luck and in need of repairs just to get to work, the store, or school. In addition to all of this, Gray & Wells Collision Center advertises in the local newspaper and pays for newspaper subscriptions allowing several local schools to receive newspapers.
For over 46 years, John Wells, Marvin Gray, and now Steve Gray have built a strong business known for quality work (approximately 40 cars go out the door per week), honesty, fairness, and community involvement.
John Wells is a first-generation owner, and his business partner, Steve Gray, is a second-generation owner. With no apparent heirs, what lies in the distant future is unclear. But John is not ready to hang up his welding gloves just yet. He has spent a lifetime building this business and is not ready to go to the house. Besides, he has a lot of mouths to feed with over two-dozen employees who are “like family.” •
