Although Charles Maier first started his shop out of a two bay service garage back in 1958, the story started long before that. He first got into body work after realizing the family farm was not what he envisioned for himself or his family. So he went out searching and found a job as an auto body repair man. The business was located in a underground garage in Linton, North Dakota.

But the dark, dusty, and dry work environment affected his health and his doctor insisted he get out of the business. With his wife Ruth, the three boys and another on the way to come he moved west to Washington for the fresh Pacific air. He purchased enough equipment and obtained a lease for a building located on Grover St. in Lynden with the help of the G.I. bill. which he earned during WWII when he gunned in a B-17 over Northern Africa.

As the sons grew up they started to pull some weight around the body shop. With the need for more space, he moved Charlie’s to a larger building on the corner of Front and 3rd Street. Two of the sons grew out of the business while Bill and Brad Maier made careers out of it. In 1984 Charles officially hung up his hat and sold the business to Bill and his wife Barb.

Not even 5 years later, Bill had enough of the tight squeeze the Front St. location had to offer. He saw an opportunity to move the business once again to a larger location, but he’d have to build it first. In 2004, he opened the doors to Charlies Auto Body’s new state-of-the-art collision facility. He had finally built the shop he would not outgrow. Or so he thought.

Much like his father before him, Bill introduced his kids into the business. His son Brent worked at the shop from a young age, not quite as young as Bill himself was when he first got involved, but young none the less. After 7 years of sweeping floors, washing cars, and sanding parts, and another 3 years of customer experience and book work Brent officially took over partial owner ship of Charlies Auto Body.

Of course, what is a young business owner expected to do but build upon his family business. After much convincing, Bill agreed it was in the business and customer’s best interest to grow once again. in 2017 they broke ground to become one of the largest and most advanced shops in the area.

With the help of this gracious community, our business has thrived and we cannot thank the people within it enough. We hope to continue to be your trusted collision shop long into the future.