CARSTAR has announced the opening of Tatman’s CARSTAR in Champaign, Ill.

Tim Tatman’s father opened up a collision repair center in 1959 where Tatman, owner of Tatman’s CARSTAR, started working at a young age cleaning the facility for 50 cents a week. He worked his way up through the ranks and learned every job in the facility before joining his father full-time in 1981.

“Eventually, my father sold his repair center to a consolidator, and I became just another employee within the location,” said Tatman. “Although it was difficult to go through at the time, I am grateful now for my experiences now because it has made me incredibly appreciative of where I am today. It means the world to me that I have been able to open a new repair center with a trusted partner like CARSTAR while also keeping my name on the store, as it holds so much personal meaning for me.”

With over 12,000 square feet, 200 parking spots, I-CAR Gold status and over five OEM certifications, Tatman’s CARSTAR still aims to double the facility size in two months.

“The majority of our network is filled with owners like Tim, who have an established family history in the collision repair business and just need some additional support to stay current in today’s market,” says Michael Macaluso, president, CARSTAR. “Growing our CARSTAR family with owners like Tim is rewarding because their legacy means a great deal, so there is an incredible amount of hard work put into everything they do, making it easy to support them.”

Tatman’s sons have entered the business and are working alongside their dad, just as he did with his father, making his sons Chris and Matt third-generation collision repairers. Learning the ins and outs of the business, Tatman plans to pass down the facility to his boys, keeping the repair center in the family.