But what may set him apart in the future is that Columbo made that move just this past March, launching a business in a year when Americans are driving less, when the economy is struggling, and when, he said, at least a half-dozen shops in his area have closed their doors.

But despite the challenges, Columbo said he is optimistic about the outlook for his business. One reason: Although the name of the shop is new, he's not entirely starting from scratch. He noted that he bought a 25-year-old collision repair business from former Owner Newt Loiland, so the facility was fully equipped and staffed.

"Newt's son, Jeff Loiland, is actually still here running the office and estimating while I run the back of the shop," he said.

"That's where my expertise comes in, getting the jobs produced and ensuring the quality of the work. I'd rather leave the paperwork to somebody who knows what they're doing because that's not my field."

Columbo said his wife, Donna, also helps with the shop's bookkeeping.

"She knows the ins and outs of running an office, so together we make a pretty solid team," he said. "I'm not so sure I would have done this if I didn't have her to help."

Columbo said that getting work in the door has been the biggest challenge his first year. Insurers, he said, don't appear interested in working with anything but larger production shops. But a fresh coat of paint and new signage on the front and sides of the 4,500-square-foot building have increased customer traffic at the door, he said.

"Until I did that, the building just blended in with everything on the road here," he said. "The shop's been here for more than 20 years, but after we painted the front red, we have people stopping in for estimates, saying they've driven this road every day and didn't even know there was a body shop here."

Columbo's also does work for the PHH fleet management firm, and repairs some government vehicles through the General Services Administration, he said.

"PHH actually noticed the change in ownership here because they realized cars were flying out of here," he said. "It was the same staff, but instead of cars sitting here for a week and a half, they're getting done in two or three days. We hope that as time goes by, that will lead to them to send us more and more work."

Columbo said he also will continue to seek out custom and restoration work in addition to collision--and also jobs in which the two types of work overlap.

"Some bigger production shops won't touch custom vehicles even if they're wrecked," he said. "That's actually a good side of the collision industry because classic-car insurance pays very well. We've had a few dealings with classic-car insurance, and they are very understanding of the work it takes to put an older car back to its pre-accident condition, so they're willing to pay you for it."

Columbo said he's had to make few equipment purchases because the shop came equipped with a heated DeVilbiss spray booth, a three-tower Blackhawk 4000 frame rack, and a Kansas Jack Tru-Point Sonic measuring system. One change he said he did make, however, was shifting to exclusive use of PPG's Deltron paint system.

"Before, this shop used whatever was on sale, which not only drove the painter crazy but didn't allow the shop to offer a guarantee backed up by the paint manufacturer," he said. "Now PPG guarantees every job we spray."

Rather than dealing with dozens of suppliers for materials, tools, and other items as his predecessor did, Columbo said he purchases nearly everything through LDI Automotive Paint & Equipment.

"The owner there has done, and is still doing, everything he can to help me succeed," he said. "He's brought us all up to date with our paint and put in a touch-screen mixing system. When he goes to car shows to promote his business, he markets his customers' businesses as well. I've known him for probably nine years now before I opened here, and I can get nearly everything I need at the shop through him."

Columbo said he also recently joined the Automotive Service Association of Washington.

"I'd like to get more involved with the independent shops in the area because I think insurance companies are running amok," he said. "I have to fight for every nickel I get, and then it's still not enough to cover what I do. I'm hoping to work toward changing that problem.

"I think we need to bring it back to where shops have more rights," Columbo said. "I seriously believe that it's slowly but surely headed that way. We're in a changing period right now. As we consolidate down to even fewer shops, the DRP shops are going to get overloaded with work, and they're going to have to turn to us."

In the meantime, he said, he is in the process of buying the shop property and continuing to improve his company's efficiency, quality, and customer service.

"Every customer who leaves here is our best advertisement, and I try to convey that to every one of them," Columbo said.