AASP/NJ Recognizes DJ’s Restoration as 2024 Body Shop of the Year
12.23.24 – The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) recognized longtime member shop, DJ’s Restoration of Ewing, NJ, with the Stan Wilson/New Jersey Automotive Body Shop of the Year Award during their recent Annual Meeting.
Every year, the association acknowledges the value that individual members contribute to the association and the industry at-large by recognizing one outstanding member shop with this award named in memory of Wilson. The late AASP/NJ Board member was known for his dedication to the association and played an instrumental role in its early days.
DJ’s Restoration owner Daniel Brandt, Jr. has been involved with the association for decades, dating back to the Garden State Automotive Federation days. His passion for auto body work began when he was a teenager, but cars are in his blood; his grandfather owned Perry Auto (Trenton, NJ), and his father operated a mechanical shop, so Brandt was basically “born and raised in a garage.” While he was still in high school, he got his start painting cars in his father’s shop, and after graduation, his love for creating something beautiful led him to go to work at a local collision repair shop.
The I-CAR Gold certified facility employs five collision professionals who work on everything from small dents to major collision repairs. DJ’s Restoration also performs complete auto restorations and custom paint and vinyl wrap on cars, trucks and motorcycle tanks. To perform the quality work his customers have come to expect, Brandt invests in the most up-to-date tools, equipment and materials to restore each vehicle to its pre-collision condition; he treats every customer’s car as if it were his own.
Brandt believes a major benefit of his involvement with the association is the sense of community garnered from collaborating with other Garden State collision repairers and shop owners. He feels sorry for the shops that miss out on the camaraderie that exists among the group. “It’s a shame not every shop in the state is a member! I hope that more shops will become involved with AASP/NJ in the future.”
“I don’t feel like I deserve this,” Brandt humbly stated when asked about his reaction to the honor. “There are many good shops in this state, especially the ones associated with AASP/NJ. I am very grateful for the recognition, but DJ’s Restoration would not be as successful without the support and hard work of my entire team, so this honor belongs to all of us.”
Stay tuned for more coverage on the Shop of the Year in an upcoming issue of New Jersey Automotive, available at grecopublishing.com.
For more information on AASP/NJ, visit aaspnj.org.
Photo caption: The 2024 Stan Wilson/New Jersey Automotive Body Shop of the Year award recipient Daniel Brandt, Jr. poses with AASP/NJ Board members (from L-R): Tom Elder, Jeff McDowell and Ken Miller (President).
