Business Spotlight: Schoonover Bodyworks & Auto Care - "Built on Trust, Running on Legacy"

Get the inside scoop from Schoonover Bodyworks and Auto Care. 

Schoonover Bodyworks & Auto Care started with fifty dollars and a dream. In 1938, Mike’s grandfather Chuck created Schoonover Bodyworks & Auto Care by borrowing fifty dollars from Harry Slawick, a St. Paul entrepreneur who owned Midway Ford. After Chuck passed away in the 60’s, his son, Dick Schoonover took over the business and moved its location to Shoreview in 1973 where Mike and his brothers worked with his dad until he retired in 2000 and sold the company to Mike and his wife Gayle. However, the business has continued to deepen its generational roots with the addition of Mike’s youngest son, Matthew, joining their team in February 2025. Since then, Schoonover has undergone a four million dollar expansion and remodel that has allowed the company to better serve its employees, customers, and community. Read more to see what business, growth, and community mean to The Schoonovers and their team. 

Mike describes how the Schoonover family name is aligned not only with quality and excellence but also with the pride and reputation of the company. Mike’s employees continue to serve customers with Schoonover traditions and values such as “taking care of the customer first” and “doing the right thing”. For those unfamiliar with Schoonover Bodyworks & Auto Care, they operate as a full service “one stop-shop” by offering all services in house; from oil changes, tires, brakes, alignments, diagnostic services, glass replacement, autobody repair & painting, detailing and everything in between, making "the full works" easy and efficient for customers to achieve. 

Mike also emphasizes community in every aspect of his work, whether it’s giving back, managing his staff, or serving customers. He reflects with gratitude on the opportunity to run Schoonover Bodyworks & Auto Care to honor his family’s legacy and serve generations of loyal customers, all while building trust on the family name. Mike states, “Our goal is to have customers for life, so we try to make the experience easy, hassle-free, and memorable." Tradition matters in Shoreview, and it plays a key role in fostering a strong sense of community identity, a prime reason Mike and Gayle chose not to sell their business a few years back. Instead, they decided to keep contributing to the city’s growth and enjoy the supportive services, safety, parks and recreation, schools, and the high-quality housing that makes Mike proud to live and work in the community he calls home. 

While tradition and community are vital to their identity, Schoonover’s ability to adopt and stay coherent with learning new technology allows them to propel in this industry. For example, Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems, a modern technological improvement, helps drivers avoid accidents due to lane departure sensors, cameras, dynamic cruise control, autobrakes, and additional features. To adequately perform ADAS procedures, Mike added the space, tools, skilled technicians, and equipment, showcasing Schoonover's ability to meet customer and economic needs and changes. Mike states, “We are always trying to find ways to make things better, disrupt industry norms, and offer better service, quality, and value for our customers, all focused on their specific needs. As an independent and family-owned shop, we believe we are an excellent alternative to national chains and dealers.” 

Therefore, whether it's providing top-of-the-line automobile services, excellent customer care, or giving back to local sports teams, schools, and churches, Schoonover Bodyworks and Auto Care continue to rise above the competition. Some final words from Mike that best describe Schoonover's values and advice to other business owners are, “Be nice. Be honest. Do your best. And most importantly, focus on serving others." Looking ahead, the Schoonover family remains committed to continuing their legacy of trust, quality, and innovation, ensuring that the next generation can count on them for the same exceptional service that has defined the company for over 80 years.