Nelsons Body Shop Inc

05/21/2026

Throughout our 100 years there have been a few other business endeavors like Wayne Motor Sales. Narrowing down the dates of operations have been a bit trickier for this portion of the business. Earliest advertising and artifacts are dated in the 1950’s and seem to end towards the late 1970s.

Wayne Motor Sales was located at our current location with Nelson’s body Shop.

We love our rich family history and are proud of the many ways we’ve been able to serve the St. Marys community over the last century!

05/04/2026

February 7, 1949 we were already marketing ourselves as St. Marys oldest shop.

03/20/2026

03/07/2026

🚗💨 Stranded? We’ve Got You Covered — 24/7!

Car trouble never happens at a “good” time — but that’s why we’re here all the time. Our 24/7 towing service is fast, friendly, and ready whenever you need a lift.

Save our number so you have it when you need it! 419-394-3411

03/04/2026

Verling V. Nelson, the founder and first generation operator of Nelson’s Body Shop, was born March 27, 1908 to Thomas & Bertha (Wagner) Nelson.

Working in auto body since 1924. He began his own endeavor in a garage in 1926. Eventually he purchased land and built a shop naming it Nelson’s Body Shop. Throughout the years he was assisted in business by his son Charlie and friend Paul German.

Verling was a true entrepreneur owning three businesses at one point: Nelson’s Body Shop, Wayne Sporting Goods Store, and Wayne Motor Sales. His buildings supported a lunch stand and filling station. He was a former member of the Fraternal Order of Police in St. Marys.

Verling was married to Esther (Klosterman) Nelson on March 7, 1928. Together they had four children Charles, Emily, Linda, and Jeannie. Esther shared the entrepreneurial spirit alongside her husband and owned Nelson’s Restaurant and Wayne Sporting Goods Store.

02/18/2026

The oldest advertisement we’ve been able to find so far, from back when we weren’t even called Nelson’s Body Shop yet. Our founder and first-generation owner, Verling Nelson, started the business in a garage. Eventually, the shop was moved to Wayne Street, which remains our location today.

This advertisement appeared in The Evening Leader on August 9, 1927.

Thanks to the digitization of local newspapers by the St. Marys Community Public Library, we’re able to discover more about our family’s and business’s history!

02/12/2026

We’re proud to announce!!

🎉 100 Years of Service to Our Community 🎉

This June marks an incredible milestone for Nelson’s Body Shop – 100 years of keeping our community on the road!

It all started in a garage on Buckeye Street June 1926 in St Marys, Ohio. Verling V. Nelson opened his doors with a simple mission: provide honest, quality auto repair to his community. A century later, that same commitment to quality continues.

We’ve been honored to serve generations of families in St. Marys and surrounding areas. Thank you for trusting us with your vehicles, your stories, and your loyalty over the past 100 years.

Keep an eye out for the exciting things we have planned throughout the year to say thank you for supporting our family!

01/25/2026

Safety is our priority during these current weather conditions! If you require assistance or emergency road side support, give us a call 419-394-3411 🚘 ❄️

08/10/2025

Thank you to all who came out today to make it a successful one! We appreciate it and have collected feedback so we can continue to grow and make this a great show for all! Special thanks to our family who show up and put it the work to pull this off! See you all back next year!!

08/10/2025

Another great year in the 2025 Summerfest parade! 🍭🍬

We are honored to have been selected as the winners of this years’ Presidents Award!