Best of Columbia Profiles

Palmetto Garage Works

1515 Gervais Street

Columbia, SC 29201

Phone: 803.567.5914

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Gus Herlong Owner, President, and COO

Palmetto Garage Works is a family-owned business dedicated to the South Carolina and North Florida communities for more than 15 years. Gus and Jimmy Herlong entered the auto service and tire industry in January 2008 with five existing Midas locations in Columbia. Providing needed heavy investments, attention, and direction, this is where the growth began in building Palmetto Garage Works to the fourth largest Midas franchise in the system. The Herlongs’ organization provides auto service, while giving back to local communities, with 13 locations around the Midlands of South Carolina, seven Lowcountry locations, one location in Florence, one location in Greenville, and six locations in North Florida. The recent grand opening of their Lake Murray Midas marked the 28th location.

Gus Herlong and his father, Jimmy, focus on Total Car Care in their operations, but they are also all about Total Community Care. Each year, they partner with programs to keep their customers’ money local by giving back to the communities where they live and do business. This year the Herlong family provided the gift of transportation to seven families in need by donating seven fully repaired vehicles! Other partnerships include Camp Cole, Palmetto Baseball League, Harvest Hope Food Bank, Lowcountry Food Bank, American Red Cross, Original Designs, and more. Camp Cole and Palmetto Baseball League have both named family areas of their facilities after the Herlong family and Midas. #MidasPGWCares

A heavy focus for Gus has been investing to create differentiating customer experience management within his stores. The new Gervais Street Midas houses Palmetto Garage Works’ new training room facilities. Many of the Herlong locations now offer courtesy vehicles and courtesy Uber rides to home or work. They have recently launched Digital Vehicle Inspections in the Midas stores, providing pictures for customers on their phone or email. Extensive renovations to facilities are also being completed, or are underway, to create better customer and teammate experiences with new waiting areas, break rooms, and more.