FLINT, Michigan -- I first met Nick Dias and his wife Marie a few weeks ago when they were taking possession of what is now the new location of their business at 915 S. Franklin Avenue, between Kansas Avenue and Longway Boulevard. 

Nick, 42, is a young man with sleeves up both arms, ink on his neck, and plugs in both ear lobes. He has a quick smile and an easy manner and is a very nice person. He spent 15 years as a chef, but the long hours and hectic schedule were not conducive to the family life he wanted, so he began looking around for other career options.

He likes to tinker with things, take them apart, see how they work, repair them, and put them back together, so he thought auto repair might be a good fit. He checked out the field, enrolled in the Baker College program, earned his associate's degree as well as ASE and State of Michigan Certification, and has been a full-service mechanic for 12 years. 

He previously worked for Magpie Oil Change in Burton for two years and then Dewey's Auto Center in Fenton for 10 years. Dewey’s is where he and Marie met  -- she was the schedule and biller there, and now she performs those same functions at Nick’s Garage, making it truly a family business.

Nick and Marie had a thriving business in their previous location, where they've been for nearly two years, but the building was a "make do" situation until they could find a place more suitable to their needs. Their lease was expiring soon and they had been wanting to get into a building of their own, and the spot in Eastside Franklin Park has proven to be a good option for them and for the neighborhood.

Although they have a young family (Skyler, 16, Major, 13, and Lydia, 7) they had been remodeling their new location in the evenings and on the weekends with a goal of being moved in by September. The new structure is white with brightly colored trim and has two bays, which will be more than sufficient for Nick to work his magic on the vehicles in our area as he is licensed to do everything except body work and glass.

Eventually Nick intends to hire one or two more mechanics to provide the area with a quicker turnaround on repairs. 

"We value our customers, they know we stand behind our work and treat everyone right,”  Nick Dias said. “Our customers trust us and give us plenty of 'word of mouth' advertisement which is as good as it gets.”

Nick's Garage is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday. They can be reached at (810) 730-8703.