For the past 73 years, D & H Auto Body has been a mainstay on Atlantic Avenue in Richmond Hill.
According to owner Guy Perino, the key to the shop’s longevity is ensuring customer satisfaction.
“We’ve had hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers because of our old fashioned work ethic,” Perino said. “Generation after generation of families have been coming to us for decades.”
Perino’s uncles Dominick and Harry Ezzo established the shop in 1946, christening the business name with their initials. Back then, the family business provided auto body work, painting and general repairs.
Perino took over business operations of D & H over 40 years later in 1988. Prior to inheriting the shop, he owned an auto body shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and also worked on the insurance adjustment side of the business.
He returned to the industry when his uncle started getting older and decided to retire. Today, Perino runs D & H with his business partner Bruno Loia. They offer customers a “full line of auto body service” as well as CARCO auto insurance inspections.
Since taking over, Perino has noticed “drastic changes” in the operations and costs of running the business, including increased automation and computerization as well as higher costs for parts and materials.
The owner said that despite the challenges, they have found ways to stay on top of the costs and improve the quality control of their services.
“We make sure to do the job right and efficiently the first time so we don’t have to spend extra [money] on parts,” said Perino.
He shared that the most rewarding parts of running the business are doing quality work for the customer, meeting new people and seeing them happy.
D & H Auto Body is located at 109-14 Atlantic Ave. in Richmond Hill. The shop is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. To learn more, call 718-847-7722.
