HAYSI, VA – APRIL 1, 2022 – Matthew Mullins’ love of fast cars and luxury vehicles translated into a business recently as he opened American Muscle Detailing, LLC in Dickenson County. The new business provides exterior and interior detailing, as well as waxing and ceramic coating vehicle service options. Additional service options are also planned.
American Muscle Detailing, LLC, is a recent recipient of a $10,000 Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) seed capital matching grant.
“Matthew Mullins’ plan for American Muscle Detailing, LLC is one that includes not only meeting the needs of car owners to keep their vehicles clean, but also growth for the future to provide services not currently widely available to individual vehicle owners and other businesses,” said VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel Jonathan Belcher. “The business projects two full-time and three part-time employees within three years.”
Services offered by American Muscle Detailing are available to both individual car owners and to automobile dealers located in the vicinity of the shop, according to Mullins.
Specific services offered include exterior detailing to include a multi-step scratch-free manual hand wash; interior detailing to include cleaning of all hard surfaces, seats, dashboard, center console, instrument cluster, door panels and vacuuming the carpet; and waxing to protect and maintain the car’s paint finish.
Looking to the future, he plans to offer ceramic coating which involves the application of a fine layer of quartz to protect surfaces and enhance shine; full vinyl wrap and PPF film wrapping services; as well as windshield repair and window tinting. He completed a wrapping class in North Carolina in February.
Funds from the seed capital grant, he said, have been used for cleaning supplies, equipment purchases and training.
“It’s been absolutely great,” Mullins said of the seed capital grant. “I don’t how this business would be a business without the VCEDA grant. There is so much expense in starting a business and this made it possible to get things started.”
Currently, Mullins only takes vehicles in by appointment.
“I don’t want to start up and have long wait times and disappoint people because of the wait,” Mullins said, noting he plans to ramp things up slowly as he strives to make a name for the new business through the quality of work it does.
Born and raised in Dickenson County, Mullins said he has always been a vehicle enthusiast. He worked with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Mountain Empire Community College (MECC) in developing his application to VCEDA and received a letter of support from the Dickenson County Industrial Development Authority.
“American Muscle is bringing products and services to Dickenson County and the surrounding area that were not easily accessible,” said MECC SBDC Director Becki O’Quinn-Purdie. “MECC’s SBDC enjoyed working with Matthew on his application and is excited to see how this business will continue to grow and provide needed services to the region.”
American Muscle Detailing LLC is located at 23802 Dickenson Highway in Haysi, Va. To set up an appointment, interested persons may call Mullins at 276.393.8700.
About Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority and Southwest Virginia’s e-Region: The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1988 to enhance and diversify the region’s economy and help create jobs, markets Southwest Virginia’s e-Region and its focus on electronic information technology, energy, education, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurship. VCEDA is a unique economic development organization that manages funds for economic development projects from a percentage of the coal and natural gas severance taxes paid by coal and natural gas companies that operate in the region. Located in southwestern Virginia, the region includes Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise counties and the City of Norton. www.vceda.us or www.e-Region.org.
About the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority Seed Capital Matching Grant Fund: VCEDA region for-profit businesses one year and under with less than 10 full-time employees are eligible to apply for dollar-for-dollar matching grants up to $10,000 from the VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Fund. Applicants work with the Small Business Development Centers at Mountain Empire and Southwest Virginia community colleges to prepare the applications to VCEDA that include detailed business and financial plans. Businesses must be located in or plan to operate in the VCEDA region in southwestern Virginia that includes Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise counties and the City of Norton.