Q&A with Eric & Cory Donenfeld, co-owners of Northwest Auto Body
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
By Like Media Team
When Northwest Auto Body was founded more than 50 years ago by Mel Donenfeld, it started as a small shop with a dirt floor and a clear standard: treat people fairly and do the job right. Built on the Golden Rule, that approach earned lasting trust across Bonner and Boundary counties and continues to guide the business today.
Q. Northwest Auto Body is turning 50. What does it feel like to carry this legacy forward?
A. We treat our customers and coworkers like they are our family. I can’t tell you how many families come to us through referrals and how many newcomers find us through our high Google ratings and word of mouth. That’s also how we find and keep great employees. People want to work where they are appreciated, trained, and compensated well.
That’s how the legacy continues at Northwest Auto Body, one person at a time.
Q. Your father, Mel, built this business. How do you honor what he started while adding your own direction?
A. Eric and I were born and raised in this community and grew up in this business, went away to college, and came back to learn it. I hope we honor him every day by the way we run Northwest Auto Body. He will be the first to say that with technology changing so fast, he doesn’t recognize how we do some things.
What he does see is how we ensure our technicians keep up with training and are supported by state-of-the-art equipment. He is also keenly aware of how we treat our employees and customers.
One new direction for us was purchasing Accurate Collision in Bonners Ferry two years ago. Kay (Burdick) had a thriving shop there, and we told her that if she was ready to retire, we would love to talk. She took us up on it, and we haven’t looked back.
Q. What services does Northwest Auto Body specialize in?
A. Collision repair is our wheelhouse. We work with every insurance company and handle repairs when customers choose not to file a claim. In each case, we look out for our customers.
Some insurance companies are challenging to work with, which frustrates people. That’s where we step in. It is painful enough to be in an accident without the added hassle.
We are known for the quality of our repairs and paint, as well as our lifetime warranty. We also have more than 50 sublet partners who help us, and we are thankful for those relationships.
Q. Is there a moment that really captures what Northwest Auto Body is all about?
A. Believe it or not, this happens in our shops all the time. We are now seeing the third generation of customers. When grandma and grandad recommend a shop to their grandkids, it means something, and we don’t take it for granted.
Q. How has Sandpoint supported your business, and how have you given back over the years?
A. We mentioned legacy earlier, and that really means something to us. We are all in this together and need to lift each other up. We have a symbiotic relationship with this community. We can’t exist without them, and we believe it’s stronger because we’re here.
We support many causes and take pride in the impact we’ve made through Deervember. For the past decade, we’ve partnered with Washington Trust and Eric Paull to raise funds for the Bonner County Food Bank.
Each November, we donate $50 per animal strike, and Washington Trust matches it. With more businesses joining in, this year’s total topped $32,000, including $7,000 from Northwest Auto Body, a new record.
We don’t say no very well to nonprofit groups seeking support, and that is a good thing.
Q. From one shop on Michigan Street to 36 employees and three locations, what are you most proud of?
A. We are proud and grateful at the same time. Fifty years doesn’t come easily. We think about the hundreds of employees and thousands of customers as we prepare for the future.
We couldn’t be located in a better part of the country or surrounded by better people. The quality of life here is second to none, and we continue to attract employees who want to grow with us.
We are proud of the work we do and grateful for the opportunity to help people through a difficult time and to serve people just like you.
Northwest Auto Body Sandpoint
1305 Michigan, Sandpoint, ID
208.253.6931
Northwest Auto Body Ponderay
1202 Triangle Drive, Ponderay, ID
208.265.9999
Accurate Northwest Auto Body
6818 Denver St., Bonners Ferry, ID
208.267.2432
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