07/13/2026
An open letter to our community and customers:
This is the shop manager, Kendra Tilley Horner. For the past 6 years and 4 months, I have been blessed to be able to get to know our amazing community members and be able to assist in their vehicle repairs.
I am going to make this message to you as short and precise as possible. There are no words to describe the tragedy of this past weekend. Our entire small community is left reeling over this mess. I know we are all hurt, confused, and frankly heartbroken. There is an open police investigation, and we know that the Pickens's County Sheriff's Department will conduct it with integrity and professionalism.
I understand that there is lots of uncertainty about the future of this shop with everything going on. I'd like to take the opportunity to address this. Factually speaking here how our shop has operated for the past several years, owner George has taken a back seat in our shop. He has assisted with more difficult diagnostics on electrical issues and complicated problems. Our mechanic team of Josh Stanford and Ryan Birmingham have done the rest. I create the estimates, locate the parts, schedule the appointments, and handle the payments. Our small team has upheld the business’ repair integrity and maintained the level of service during his prior absences. While George started the business in 2017, it has been a very long time since he has been the one carrying the bulk of the daily business transactions.
I share all of this to make this statement: There are several families that make up the team that serve our community. Our team members are the same people that helped our community last week and last year. Josh, Ryan, and I will still be here to help as long as we can. Our current plans are to keep operating and serving our community. If our community will allow us to, we’d love to continue to be here for you.
I am so grateful to everyone who has reached out to family and employees with messages of support, prayer, and encouragement. This is one of the hardest things that we have been through on a personal level, as a business, as individual families, as friend group, and entire community.
We are open and operating the office and repair shop business as normal. We are here Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm. Please reach out to the shop at (205) 375-6565 with any questions regarding automotive repair needs. We will not be able to answer questions or make any statements regarding the open police investigation.
Thank you for reading this extensive letter. Please continue to keep everyone affected by this in your thoughts and prayers.
Kendra Tilley Horner
