Most executives opt for the corner office with the picturesque view, but not Steve and Jimmy Kendrick.

The brothers and co-owners of Kendrick Paint and Body Shop Inc. prefer to be front and center -- right in the midst of their loyal customers.

They sit behind a large semicircle of desks in the open lobby at their automobile collision repair business, alongside their employees, so they can personally greet their customers.

"I think that customer service is the integrity of the business," Jimmy said. "We've never been one to sit back in an office and be away from our customers."

Larry Bone, Jimmy's best friend for 32 years, said the business is "first notch" because the Kendrick brothers "take care of their customers."

"Whenever a customer comes in the door, they want to make sure they are happy," Mr. Bone said. "Whatever the customer wants, they'll do."

Aaron Clements, the owner of C&C Automotive in Augusta, said he often refers his own customers to Kendrick for auto collision repairs. He has known the owners for more than 30 years.

"Whenever you mention collision repair and who's the best, you hear their name. They're very professional, and they have very high-quality work," Mr. Clements said.

At the Broad Street office, the brothers are surrounded by keepsakes of their father's legacy. James Kendrick founded the business 60 years ago. His signature touches remain, such as a small pool with a waterfall in the room's center and a clock that hangs above their outdoor sign.

Since moving to Broad Street in 1972, the business has expanded to five buildings in downtown Augusta. According to Jimmy, it might be the largest, standalone, independent automobile collision repair business in the Southeast.

According to friends and business associates, the brothers have two unwavering traits: they are humble and hardworking.

"You could stand there and talk to them, and you would have no idea of the size of the business that they're running," Mr. Clements said.

Mr. Bone said the Kendrick brothers easily work 60 to 70 hours per week and start their days at the crack of dawn.

"(Jimmy) works all the time. He gets up every morning at 4:30 a.m. Both of them work hard. Steve gets up, too," he said.

For Jimmy, "sleeping late" on a Saturday morning means waking up at 7 a.m., he laughed.

Mr. Clements has watched the brothers over the years and said they have "inspired him to work harder."

"One thing that I learned from them is that hard work really does pay off. They worked really hard, and they did it the right way. You can do it the right way, treat people with total respect and do very well doing that," he said.

Getting started

The Kendrick brothers, who are four years apart (Jimmy is the eldest), were born to Delores and James Kendrick in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

They spent their childhood in North Augusta with their younger sister, Beverly, who today works alongside them as an estimator.

Their father started Kendrick Paint and Body Shop Inc. in 1947, and as young boys, the brothers spent many afternoons hanging out at his shop.

"We came to work with dad when we were kids," Jimmy said. "As we got older, Steve and I were assigned duties such as washing cars, sanding and sweeping floors -- whatever needed to be done. Basically, we were brought in on the ground floor."

Early on, they learned the importance of dedication and hard work. Their father worked long hours to provide for his family and strived to instill the same values in his sons.

"Before we were old enough to drive, mother would have to bring us over to see him because all he ever did was work," Steve said.

Their father developed his determination and work ethic during his childhood.

He grew up in Frog Hollow, an Augusta community where University Hospital now sits, and was the oldest of five children. When his father left the family, he had to help his mother support his younger siblings.

"He shined shoes and sold peanuts until he could get a job in a mechanical shop," Jimmy said.

He worked his way up to manager at Studebaker Body Shop in Augusta, and learned that his love was collision repair.

"He went from there and out on his own," Steve said.

James married his wife in the early 1940s, and she supported her husband's dream to start his own auto collision repair business. He started the business in a one-stall shop on Jones Street, where he remained for about seven years.

"She was his backbone in the business. They were a team," Jimmy said.

"She would sand cars and do anything it took," Steve added.

Time to grow

In the mid-1950s, James moved his shop to a larger location on Ellis Street. The five-man operation fixed about five cars per week.

The brothers said the business steadily grew because of nearby construction at Savannah River Site, which created in an influx of people into Augusta.

"That's where the collision repair business really got its boost," Jimmy said.

Downtown Augusta drew a large crowd -- and with the many cars, the incidence of auto collisions skyrocketed. People were crashing into each other constantly, he said.

During high school, the brothers worked after school in their father's shop. When it was time to enter the working world, they had no doubt about their career path -- they wanted to work at their father's business. They said their parents gave them the freedom to make their own choice.

"They wanted us to pursue whatever made us happy. But this was our love," Jimmy said.

Over the years, the business began to outgrow its space, and James took a leap of faith. In 1972, he relocated the business to its current location on Broad Street. He had 18 employees at the time.

Bob Willis, an insurance adjuster, worked closely with James and has known the family for 40 years.

"We thought he had lost his mind because he bought too big of a building," Mr. Willis said. However, James proved his business savvy and the business continued to flourish.

"He was an excellent businessman. He probably ran one of the most efficient shops in town for many years. They've fixed all of my cars for the last 30 years," he said.

James Kendrick died at age 58, but through the years, he had taught his sons all they needed to know to run a successful business. Soon before he died, he brought his sons into the business as owners. They said he provided an "excellent foundation."

"My father had a vision for this industry. He had a knack for envisioning what was going to happen in this business," Jimmy said.

Legacy builders

Today, Kendrick Paint and Body has expanded to five buildings in downtown Augusta. The business has more than 100 employees and repairs about 200 cars per week, Jimmy said.

With locations on Broad Street, Jones Street, and 14th and 15th streets, the auto collision repair business fixes vehicles of all makes and sizes. The owners have an assembly line of repair stations -- a full-service mechanical repair shop that restores damaged parts, a body shop, glass department and oven-baked paint booths.

On a typical day, the owners work in the lobby at their Broad Street headquarters.

"Our desks are out front with the guys," Steve said.

They open their doors at 7 a.m. each day to accommodate their customers.

"We have a lot of folks who go to work very early. We're here for them to drop their cars off," Jimmy said. "We're here late for them to pick them up, also. It's just a part of customer service."

The brothers also monitor the progress of cars through the shop. They'll even repair cars occasionally when they can offer their expertise to their employees, Steve said.

"We've been hands-on for so long that it's hard not to," Jimmy said. "If we're needed, we'll do whatever it takes."

John Bodie has been friends with the Kendrick brothers for 46 years, since they attended elementary school together.

"We knew growing up they would take over their family's business. They didn't just get a business handed to them. They had to work from the bottom up," he said. "They've been a good match. As long as I've known them, I've never really seen them have a big disagreement.

"It's tough to be in business with your brother all those years. That's a credit to their personalities."

Jimmy said that it has "taken both of us and our dedication to make it work."

For instance, he said Steve is a "people person" and loves organization. Steve describes Jimmy as a "systems and procedures person" and helps things to run smoothly.

"One of the best skills they have is listening skills," Mr. Clements said. "You feel like you're special when you're talking to them because they're really listening to what you have to say."

Mr. Bodie said the brothers are also fair.

"They treat everybody the same. They don't have to know you for 40 years to be your friend and do what's right," he said.

The staff at Kendrick Paint and Body includes skilled technicians specializing in areas such as body repair and estimates.

In an industry with high turnover, Mr. Clements said that he's always been amazed at the quality of employees at the body shop.

"Either they are very good at finding people or they know how to turn people into great people when they get there. They've got a great team there," he said.

"The people who work for them have a tremendous amount of respect for them. I think that's mainly because they see they have a passion for what they're doing," Mr. Clements added.

The latest models

The Kendrick brothers said the industry has changed tremendously over the years.

"Our industry has become very high tech," Jimmy said. He said the business keeps up with the newest techniques and modern repair methods to "continuously improve their standards."

Their staff is trained to handle computer systems, refinish with new paint materials and work with different types of plastics, metals and composite materials (such as plastics and fiber glass panels), compared to vehicles in the past. The brothers said they hold ongoing, in-house training sessions led by industry-certified instructors.

Employees learn to work on the latest technologies such as the new "backup" cameras, which are installed in the rear bumper. When a driver puts the car in reverse, he can look at a screen on the dashboard to watch for small children or other hard-to-see hazards behind the vehicle.

They also learn about the Lexus "park yourself" technology, which parks a car for the driver. A camera installed in the car takes a snapshot of where a driver is trying to park (especially for parallel parking), and the driver can let go of the wheel while the car parks itself, Jimmy explained.

Paint colors have even changed -- there are now metallic, pearl coats and tri-coats, which are three paint colors combined to make one. Tri-coats have "been a very big challenge for the collision industry," the brothers said.

Kendrick uses a computer matching system to match paints on repaired vehicles. The technician uses a "brick," or hand-held computer device, that scans the car in three places, and when plugged into the master computer, determines which paint colors are needed for mixing.

Glass has even changed in vehicles. Today, glass windshields are a structural part of the vehicle and hold the car together in case of an accident. Proper installation of windshields and rear and side glass is crucial, Jimmy said.

The family-owned business has had its share of interesting customers over the years. On several occasions, they've repaired vehicles for golfers participating in the Masters Tournament who experienced fender benders while in town.

Golfing clients include Jim Furyk and Jesper Parnevik, and music legend James Brown even had vehicles repaired at the shop.

Major hailstorms have brought many customers to the business. A major flood in Augusta about 10 years ago submerged many residents' vehicles and brought in many people for repair services.

Despite the long hours, the brothers said they can't imagine doing anything else.

"It's been a part of my life. It's what we've known," Jimmy said.

Passing the torch

The Kendrick brothers have brought their sons on board. One of Steve's two sons, Steve Jr., has worked with Jimmy's son, Trey, at the business since high school.

The owners hope their sons will continue the family legacy when they retire, and so far, their sons have accepted the challenge.

Trey has worked at Kendrick for almost 17 years. He works between all the shop locations, whatever it takes to get the job done, he said.

"My dad always wanted me to learn everything about the business. A little more is expected out of the sons than anyone else -- to set an example for everyone else. I don't try to be the boss' son; I work like one of the guys," Trey said.

He enjoys working side-by-side with his father and said they get along well. He admires his father and said that he has taught him many lessons.

"There's nothing given to you in life. You've got to work for everything you have. That's something that he's always taught me."

He considers his father to be a "great person."

"I think the biggest thing is he takes a special interest in everyone who works for him," Trey said. "He always tries to take care of his employees."

His father is genuinely concerned "in how they provide for their families," he said.

"I love and respect him, and I think everybody else around him does, too. We're very fortunate to have the opportunity to work here," Trey said.

Steve Jr. has worked at the business for 15 years. He said that he has always loved cars and enjoyed visiting his father at the shop during his childhood. Now, he has the chance to work with his father daily.

"I look up to him a lot. I admire his work ethic, and I look up to the way he handles employees and customers," he said.

He said he has learned many lessons from his father, including "the importance of being a part of a team."

"It's a great opportunity to be a part of what they've built and will build in the future. Of course, there's ups and downs with a family business, but as a whole, they've grown the business to be great and respectful to customers and employees," Steve Jr. said. "I think it's worked out great."

Leisure time

The Kendrick brothers don't have much free time, but they each have one hobby to help them unwind. Steve's is golf, while Jimmy loves boating and spending time at sea.

Steve plays golf once a week and is part of a regular group when he visits the green. He said that he is an "average golfer," but he enjoys the fellowship. One of his fondest golfing memories is playing at Augusta National Golf Club, he said.

Mr. Bodie has been playing golf with Steve for 35 years. They play together three to four times a month.

"He's a pretty good golfer. It's been an honor to be their friends for all these years. They're like family to my family," he said.

Mr. Bone, Jimmy's best friend, has accompanied him on many boating outings.

"He loves to work on his boat. He loves boating articles and magazines, anything with boating," he said.

Jimmy attends boating shows at least twice a year to "see models and what's up-to-date," Mr. Bone said, and has even visited the factory that made his boat in Michigan.

"He could probably sell them. He'd make a heck of a salesman," he said.

Mr. Bone said Jimmy began with a 20-foot fishing boat, but over the years, his passion grew to houseboats and even a yacht, which he personally captained to the Bahamas.

He said that Jimmy loves to boat at Hilton Head, S.C., and he's so dedicated to the sport that he'll leave there at 2:30 or 3 a.m. on Monday, even though he only arrived on Saturday evening, in order to get to work by 6 a.m.

"It's worth it to him," he said.

Thirty years after meeting them, Mr. Clements said he remains in awe at how hard the Kendrick brothers work to maintain their business.

Mr. Bodie said the brothers have made a significant contribution to the Augusta area.

"They've done a lot for the community. Small businesses are a big part of Augusta, and they hire a good number of people. It's been good for the economy and good for downtown."

Reach LaTina Emerson at (706) 823-3227 or latina.emerson@augustachronicle.com.