This month, Christian Brothers Automotive turns 40. The achievements we’ve been able to accomplish along this journey would not be possible without the extraordinary loyalty of our franchisees, shop team members, Home Office, guests, and, of course, the communities in which we serve.
As we reflect on the past 40 years of our brand’s history, we would be remiss if we didn’t celebrate the 26 years in which we’ve been a successful franchise system. The legacy we’ve established and continue to build is one of compassion, respect, transparency, and integrity. These are the pillars of the Christian Brothers Automotive franchise, and through our people-first approach to car care, we strive to be a light in the automotive industry. Our values and actions not only help others, but assist us in attaining our franchise goals in the coming years.
Auto Repair Franchise Legacy Grounded in Community Giveback
A key component of our auto franchise model and who we are as a brand is giving back to the communities we serve. When we began franchising in 1996, we made a promise to give on a local, national and international level. Through food and blood drives, car and free oil donations, National Service Day and more, our organization truly puts the Nice Difference® into practice.
Our franchise owners truly exemplify what it means to create heartwarming moments for others through car repair, and they allow us to continue constructing a legacy grounded in community involvement. Tony Craft, franchise owner of the Christian Brothers Automotive Cherokee location in the Atlanta area, recently announced his shop’s partnership with the Cherokee County Homeless Veterans Program, American Legion 45 and Patriot Towing, which will provide free services and repairs to veterans in need. Another instance of hope and kindness was exemplified by Christian Brothers Automotive franchise owner Rick Martinez of the Treasure Valley, Idaho location. Martinez surprised a family fleeing from Ukraine by donating a repaired car, in the hopes of making their journey as refugees in America a bit less stressful. On several occasions every year, franchise locations can choose to make a positive difference by taking the steps necessary to change a guests’ life for the better like Craft and Martinez.
Automotive Franchise Growth Goals
With 26 years in the car service franchise rearview mirror, we’re looking ahead to the next 40 and beyond for our system and brand. In line with our giveback efforts, our overarching philanthropic goal is to give $25 million in donations by the end of 2025, and our brand is well on our way to meeting that milestone. We’re also diligently working toward our goal of increasing Christian Brother’s franchise footprint to 340 locations by the end of 2025, bringing the Nice Difference® and our best-in-class automotive franchise opportunity to new communities across the country.
This year, we surpassed 250 locations, opening 6 new locations during the first half of this year, putting us on track to close out the year with 270 open locations, with 60 additional sites in the development process.
Industry trends indicate that an increased number of drivers are holding on to their cars longer, raising the demand for automotive repairs and replacement parts. This puts repair shops like ours at an advantage within the market, driving profit for our franchise owners. Last year we saw our average unit volume grow 27.5%* from $1.6 million to $2.1 million! The technological prowess and expertise we provide, paired with our neighborly attitude, allows our shops to provide an unmatched guest experience.
In the video below, Donnie Carr, our President and CEO, reflects on the history of our brand and conceptualizes the promising future of our franchise system by further articulating these goals. We are fortunate enough to make a difference in numerous neighborhoods across the country through compassionate car care, and we hope that our next 26 years in franchising will continue to positively impact our franchise family and all Christian Brothers Automotive guests.
