Mount Pleasant Magazine 6.3

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They Not Only Fix Cars –
They Fix Customers
East Cooper Paint & Body Shop
The east Cooper paint &
Body Shop tradition of quality
workmanship and outstanding
customer service began in 1963, when
the late Sidney Ballentine founded the
business.
After he retired in 1983, his son, Stephen Ballentine,
continued his father’s legacy. And
Stephen Ballentine’s son, Marty,
is the third-generation owner/operator of East Cooper
Paint & Body Shop, located on Broadway Street in Mount
Pleasant. The father-and-son team proudly continues the
company’s tradition as of one of the Lowcountry’s most
successful collision repair facilities.
Originally located in a small
building next to the former Boulevard
Diner, East Cooper Paint & Body was
built from the ground up with a simple
business philosophy.
“My father believed that quality
repairs and customer service are first
and foremost, and he instilled those
values in me. Now my son is carrying
on that same tradition,” said Stephen
Ballentine. “We not only fix cars – we
fix customers.”
When Sidney Ballentine started the business in 1963,
Mount Pleasant had two policemen and two stoplights.
Times have certainly changed, and so has East Cooper
Paint & Body Shop.
“We now have nearly 20 employees, but our core values
have never changed: customer service and quality repairs,”
Stephen Ballentine pointed out.
Ballentine offered further thoughts about his profession:
“Today, the automotive collision industry is governed by
the insurance companies and their policies. However, we
never lose sight of the fact that we work for our customers,
and their best interest is always first and foremost with us.
We always have been family owned and operated. We treat
our employees like our family – they are the backbone of
our business – and they, in turn, take care of our customers
like family. Our employees fully understand our mission to
provide a quality product and excellent customer service.”
Stephen Ballentine became involved in the family
business when he got out of the Marine Corps in 1972
and took over operations when his father retired in
1983. His son has worked in the industry for over 23
years, both at East Cooper Paint & Body Shop and at
other shops.
“As many father/son working relationships go, ours
was a rocky road to say the least,” Stephen Ballentine said.
“But about five years ago, we both made a serious effort to
affect a change in our lives, and, with the help of business
consultant Al Katz, we were able to move forward with
a comprehensive plan for
a transition of ownership.
From that point on, there
has been no looking back.”
Currently, Marty
Ballentine is the vice
president and business
partner. Brian Hoerner has
been with the company for
three years and was recently
promoted to director of
operations. Future plans
have Marty taking over full operations, and Stephen joked
that he “will be put out to pasture somewhere, hopefully
somewhere with white sand and crystal clear blue water.”
East Cooper Paint & Body Shop continually strives
to provide the best service possible for its customers. As
for doing business in Mount Pleasant, Stephen Ballentine
said: “Even with all of the growing pains the town is going
through, it is still beautiful and one of the best places in
the country to live and raise a family. We are blessed to call
Mount Pleasant home.”
East Cooper Paint & Body Shop is located at 429
Broadway St. To learn more, visit
or call 843-884-2155.
By JOHN TOrsiellO
Photo by Rick Walo.
east Cooper Paint & Body shop is run by Marty Ballentine,
left, and his father, stephen.
Longevity 53 Companies that have passed the test of time are the backbone of the Mount Pleasant business community.