Paullina’s small business community has welcomed a new addition this spring with the official opening of Paulie’s Body Shop, a full-service auto body and repair business owned and operated by longtime local technician Paul Tjepkes and his partner, Hope.
The shop opened its doors on April 1 after a months-long transition process that began in December 2024, when the couple purchased the building. Both owners left their previous jobs in February to fully commit to launching the business.
“I’ve been doing body work basically my whole life,” said Paul Tjepkes, who has formal training from WyoTech in Wyoming and Northwest Iowa Community College. “After working for other people for so long, it just made sense to finally do it for ourselves.”
Paulie’s Body Shop offers a comprehensive range of services, including collision repair, frame straightening, rust restoration, custom motorcycle modifications, welding, and even specialized painting for items like home doors and outdoor furniture. The business also handles light mechanical work, diagnostic scanning, and vehicle unlock services.
Hope manages the business side of the operation, including customer service, estimates, scheduling, and billing. “I take care of the fun stuff,” she joked. In the coming months, she plans to expand into auto detailing and window tinting.
Paulie’s Body Shop is located in a space with a long history in auto work. The building, located at 212 W Broadway, Paullina, has housed body shops for many years under previous owners. That legacy is something Paul and Hope aim to carry forward—while modernizing and tailoring the business to their own vision.
The couple’s professional journey reflects years of steady growth. Paul initially worked on cars out of a small one-stall garage, gradually expanding into larger workspaces as demand increased. His skills were also developed through years of side work, even while holding full-time jobs.
“Everything we’ve done has kind of built toward this,” Hope said. “It was a big risk to walk away from stable jobs, but we believed in what we could build together.”
In addition to growing the business, Hope also serves as a full-time volunteer EMT for Paullina during the weekdays, making their entrepreneurial leap a benefit to both the local economy and community services.
The shop does not yet have a dedicated website, but is active on Facebook and Instagram. Both platforms are linked through their Google business profile for easy access.
With an established skill set, a clear division of labor, and strong ties to the community, the owners of Paulie’s Body Shop are confident that their investment will pay off in the long run.
“We’re not trying to be everything to everybody,” Paul said. “We just want to do honest, high-quality work—and keep growing from there.”
Paulie’s Body Shop is located at 212 W Broadway, in Paullina. They can be reached by phone at (712) 720-7860.