Greg Brown had long dreamed of opening his own automotive service and repair shop. He’d grown up with cars, and he developed a lifelong passion back in high school, working part time at a local garage near Kingston, Jamaica. Years later, he completed the Auto Service Technician program at Centennial College and worked at Canadian Tire and Owen Sound Honda, all the while acquiring his own tools and equipment for the day he struck out on his own. Then the old Goudy Motors location in Meaford came up for sale.
Greg saw his opportunity to realize his dream, and he opened the doors to Brown’s Auto Service in early 2020, bringing his own brand of auto care to Meaford and the surrounding area.
With his own shop, Greg could finally define his own approach to customer service. “I like to make a difference and set my own path,” says Greg. “I like to help people, and working for somebody else, you don’t have the same chance to help people and save them money. What makes me happy is not the day when I do the hand-off and get paid. What makes me happy is when a customer leaves happy. You can’t give me money to equal that feeling.”
When he started out, Greg learned to offer repairs when it makes sense to repair rather than replace. Today, he preserves that philosophy for people in Meaford and the surrounding area.
Many of the cars Greg worked on during the early days were classic British roadsters. Long hours and days under the hood of MGs and other UK motorcars taught him rare skills when it comes to diagnosing and repairing these beauties. Locals with well-preserved vehicles have booked Greg during the periods he has established during the year to devote to older and classic cars.
When he’s not at the garage, Greg loves getting out with his wife and kids to go camping or fishing on Georgian Bay for salmon and trout. He also loves being involved with Meaford groups and enjoys giving back to community in any way he can.