Barrie, Ontario -- A mechanical, collision and paint supply centre in Barrie, Ontario, is celebrating the completion of a major renovation.
"This project has been keeping us busy over the past two years," says Emily Oakley, manager of automotive at the Bumper to Bumper location located at 90 Anne Street South. "We took over another unit and transformed it into a new 2,000-square-foot [185 square metre] showroom area."
While the business remained open throughout the duration of the renovations, the hosted a grand reopening event upon its completion. Approximately 200 people attended, including about 20 vendors, the store’s 32-person staff team and an estimated 150 guests.
The celebration also featured live demonstrations, food and opportunities for industry networking, with representatives from 3M, Norton, AkzoNobel and PPG on hand to showcase products and connect with attendees.
“The biggest thing is that [Bumper to Bumper] is now a full-line collision facility as well as mechanical. We’ve been a full-service collision business for a while, but some people think we're just focused on the mechanical side” said Bob Thorn, manager of auto body and paint.
Thorn noted that the Barrie location has a long history of serving the region, operating for decades as Maslack Supply before rebranding under the Bumper to Bumper banner three years ago.
Bumper to Bumper was founded in the United States in 1972 as a warehouse distribution network supplying independent automotive jobbers with parts and accessories. The brand quickly expanded across North America, establishing itself as a trusted supplier to both mechanical and collision repair facilities.
In Canada, the name became especially prominent after Uni-Select acquired the rights in 2016 and rebranded hundreds of its independent parts stores under the Bumper to Bumper banner.
