Have lift, will gather
How Gearhead Workspace filled a need for urban DIY mechanics and created a great community in the process
Any successful entrepreneur will tell you, if your business doesn’t solve a real need for an actual person, then all you have is a solution in search of a problem. When you have a clear problem statement focused on customers you can actually reach, the initial idea is just the beginning of great things to come.
This is exactly the model followed by Molly and Tim Heyen since they launched Gearhead Workspace in 2015 in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood. For car enthusiasts living in an urban environment, rents are high and space is at a premium. For most, time is an even more precious commodity.
These stories are just a small sample of what happens when one auto enthusiast has a great idea and runs with it and should be an inspiration to anyone looking to take their passion to the next level.
Gearhead Workspace solves for this problem by providing a membership based DIY garage outfitted with vehicle lifts, top quality and specialty tools, and the ability to quickly source parts from distributors typically not accessible to hobbyists. How many of you have had you car up on blocks in your garage while you waited for that one part or tool that you wouldn’t use more than a handful of times? This certainly solves a real need. It also creates a new community space where one never existed. Yes we love our cars and coffee and many organizations like @checkeditoutchicago, @fuelfed, and @carsandcoffeeoakpark deliver other great drives, events, and social opportunities for Chicago enthusiasts but there wasn’t really a common pace to wrench together - until now.
An intensely curious bunch, DIY mechanics love to bond over projects, trade tips, and help each other out with the jobs that really require an extra pair of hands.
Here I think Tim and Molly have really hit on something. An intensely curious bunch, DIY mechanics love to bond over projects, trade tips, and help each other out with the jobs that really require an extra pair of hands. What better than to have a space where that is readily available each time you went to work on your car?
In addition to a member’s lounge and planned social activities, Gearhead Workspace fully embraces the idea of “mechanic as coach” offering classes, repair planning, and even a Masters in Badassery (MBA) program.
Tim and Molly both commented that the skill growth that many members have realized has been the most pleasant surprise of all. While many members do come to the space with a high level of technical skill, there are many others who have gone from “lefty loosey, righty tighty” to re-gearing a Jeep differential a little over a year later.
In another great story from the early days, a woman in need of a brake job happened by the shop as it opened. Now, with a little additional education, she has built a side business for herself working on friends’ cars for fun and profit. These stories are just a small sample of what happens when one auto enthusiast has a great idea and runs with it and should be an inspiration to anyone looking to take their passion to the next level.
Currently, Gearhead Workspace is building out a new location in Bridgeport providing more space, storage, and the ability to expand as the community inevitably grows. We can’t wait to see what happens next. As we are able once again safely gather together, we know it will be at the Heyen’s shop.
You can follow all of their progress in the new build-out at facebook.com/GearheadWorkspace/
