In late October, we covered the Girls Auto Clinic in Pennsylvania that was working hard to teach women more about their cars. Started by Patrice Banks, a former engineer that went back to school to learn how to be a mechanic, the program was all about making women more confident when stepping into dealerships and repair shops. We are happy to report that the group has finally been able to open an auto repair shop of its own near Philadelphia.
The Girls Auto Clinic Repair Center in Upper Darby puts all of its money where its mouth is. It’s well-publicized that this is a place for women to take their cars, but it is also staffed by female mechanics, many wearing bright red heels, called shecanics. The shop was featured on a recent edition of NBC Nightly News, and Patrice Banks was clear that the shop still educates women about cars. Customers are shown how to properly maintain their vehicle, and do important checks like examining the oil dipstick.
While women wait, they can take advantage of the beauty bar inside of the shop. Customers can have their hair done and their nails painted, all while their car is taken care of just steps away. The whole waiting area is also clean, calm, and comfortable, which is certainly a step up from the dirty waiting rooms that smell like burned coffee in other shops.
Considering that 51% of drivers are women, but only two percent of car mechanics are female, hopefully this is a good step forward in how women interact with their vehicles. It seems as if the car world is taking notice, as Patrice Banks was just chosen to be a speaker at the Makers Women conference in Los Angeles, and the shop has been featured by many nationwide news outlets. We wish them all the best in the future.
News Source: NBC Nightly News and Girls Auto Clinic Repair Center on Facebook
A Dayton native, Rebecca got her start blogging at the curiously named Harlac’s Tongue while studying abroad in the UK. She loves tooling around town with her Ford Focus named Jerome to the song they’re playing on the radio. On any given weekend, you can find her with her camera at area festivals, concerts, and car shows, shopping at flea markets, or taking an adventure on the open road. See more articles by Rebecca.
