About P&H Auto Body and Car Sales

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When my father first arrived in the United States from Greece, he had little more than a dream and a toolbox. His name is Petros Hatzipetros, and this is the story of how he and his wife Pat started a small auto repair business that grew into a legacy, now carried forward by me, his son.

Coming to America in 1974 was a daunting adventure. The streets were bustling, the language foreign, and the culture vastly different from a small suburb of Athens Greece, he had left behind. He spent his early days doing whatever work he could find anything to save enough money to start their own business eventually. But no matter how tired he was at the end of the day, he always made time to tinker with cars, a skill he had honed back home. 

It took years of hard work and perseverance, but they finally saved enough to buy a small garage on the Northside of Chicago. With his wife by his side, in 1985, they opened P&H Auto Body & Sales. It was a modest operation at first, just a few bays and a few basic tools, but it was theirs. I remember the excitement and fear of those early days, wondering if customers would come and if my parents would be able to make ends meet.

Word spread quickly about my parents' little shop. My father treated every car that came through those doors with the utmost care. Honesty and integrity were the cornerstones of our business. If something didn’t need fixing, my father would say so. If a job was going to be expensive, my father explained why and worked with customers to find the best solution. People appreciated that, and slowly but surely,  P&H Auto Body & Sales. became a trusted name in our community.

I practically grew up in this garage. After school, I come straight to the shop, eager to help and learn. My father taught me everything I know. I had a natural talent for the shop,

Eventually, the operation grew with more customers and more demand for our services, and my parents needed a bigger location. We moved to our current location in 1990. My father eventually retired, passing the torch to me in 2020. It was a bittersweet moment, stepping back from the work he loved, but he knew the business was in good hands. I had not only preserved the legacy that he started but had grown it into something even greater. He often comes back to the shop and helps out and I still seek his advice.  He shares stories and tips from his years of experience.

Under my leadership, P&H Auto Body & Sales transformed. I have introduced modern diagnostic tools, streamlined our workflow, and even built a website for the shop. I started using social media to attract younger customers, and it worked. Business boomed, and we expanded, adding more bays and hiring additional technicians and office help. Despite the changes, the core values of our shop remained the same: honesty, integrity, and a commitment to quality.

I run P&H Auto Body & Sales with the same passion and dedication that my father had, and  I feel a deep sense of pride. The community continues to support us, not just for the services we provide but because they feel connected to our family and our story. The heart of  P&H Auto Body & Sales isn’t just in the cars we fix; it’s in the generations of hard work, love, and dedication that keep our customers happy. 

Luke Hatzipetros 

Owner/Operator 

P&H Auto Body & Car Sales