Dream to Reality: Matthews Opens Own Auto Repair Shop

Allen Matthews opened his own automobile repair business, Done Rite Auto, in Carthage last month.

As of Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Allen Matthews has opened the county seat’s first ever black-owned and operated auto repair shop.

On Jan. 16, Done Rite Auto rolled its bay doors open in the Salmon Motors building across from Food Lion next door to Hardee’s. Most repair shops close at 5 p.m. , and few open at all on weekends. Done Rite is open until 6:30 p.m. weekdays and until 3 p.m. Saturday.

“I’m hungry,” Matthews said with a laugh.

Carthage is a family town for the Manhattan-born mechanic. Matthews grew up in the big city. He studied mechanics at famed Theodore Roosevelt High School in the Bronx.

“My granddad — the one that lived down here — had a moving company in Little Italy,” Matthews said. “They were the only black people in Little Italy at the time. That is why my mother and I still go to Little Italy — to get food! Little Italy has the best cold cuts in the world.”

The Matthewses moved to Carthage from Raleigh six years ago when he and his wife, Danita, both went to work at Fox Hollow Senior Living, where she is still head of medical technology.

He served as the assisted living facility’s maintenance chief. A year ago, he started to set plans in place to bring a dream to reality — opening his own shop in Carthage.

Allen and Danita Matthews have three children: Daquan, 13, an eighth-grader at Cranes Creek; 16-year-old Trey, who is in the Navy Junior ROTC at Union Pines; and daughter Falon, 24, a student at Lincoln University in Oxford, Pa. — the nation’s first degree-grant-ing historically black university.

“My family is from here,” he said. “My granddaddy is from Carthage. I stay on his property now. My uncle is here, all the Matthewses are from here, but I was born in Manhattan. I came down 20 years ago.”

He came to Fayetteville, where he found a guide in another Matthews — John Matthews. They became friends when he worked for the older mechanic, and John Matthews is still the man he calls for advice.

“He is my mentor,” Allen Matthews said.

He said he tries to pass what he has learned along to others. He currently teaches senior citizens and others a class in basic car care at St. Mary’s church in Needmore. For a decade, he had been coming to town at the request of his late aunt, Virginia Drake Matthews. She had asked him to bring his continuing education class to her church, St. John’s United Church of God.

“I started it in Raleigh when I was doing auto repair there,” Matthews said. “The churches named it. They called it Mechanics 101 or ‘How Not to Get Ripped Off at the Shop’ — it’s what everybody needs to know about their car. I would bring a car, a little tape and film, and show them some things. Single women and elderly people get taken in.”

A common situation is an overheated car. Unscrupulous shops can take advantage of ignorance, Matthews said.

“When car is overheating, nine times out of 10, it’s the thermostat,” he said. “They were simply taking advantage when they don’t know some basic things like getting more than one opinion. You have a mother, a sister and a brother — you don’t want them to pay for an engine when all they need is a thermostat.”

Knowing just a few basic things about an automobile can a help a car owner keep from being cheated, Matthews said.

“Last year, in Raleigh, they had hundreds of complaints from people who’d been taken advantage of,” he said. “One lady paid $1,700 for a head gasket that had not been replaced. All they’d changed was the thermostat, because her car was overheating — cost $5. That gives mechanics a bad name. We go through alternators, thermostats and things. Those are things that go wrong with your car.”

As far as Matthews has been able to discover, Done Rite is the first black-owned repair shop in town. He wants it to build a good reputation from the start.

“I know that if you do good things, you can sleep at night,” he said. “I like to be able to sleep at night and wake up in the morning feeling good. You are going to have bad days with any job, any business — but treat people well, that’s the bottom line.”

Contact John Chappell at jfchappell@gmail.com.

More like this story

pacer 1 year, 2 months ago

Welcome! Congrats and good luck to you !!

JeneccaD 1 year, 2 months ago

Nice story! Congratualtions Mr. Matthews and best of luck!

AbdominalDohMan 1 year, 2 months ago

Why celebrate that he is black? What does that have to do with anything? I thought by now we all would have been past judging someone on the color of their skin. Why not celebrate the fact that he has the stones to start a business in this dreadful economy that is NOT getting better at the moment? I don't care if he is black, white, Indian, German, etc.. Who cares. I wish him all the best in his endeavor. He is braver than I am to start any kind of business right now. Good luck sir, sincerely.

FightFireWithFire 1 year, 2 months ago

Good for you, Mr. Matthews! Congratulations and good luck!

horselover 1 year, 2 months ago

Seriously - is this 2012? Who cares what color he is...
Best of luck.

DaveyNC 1 year, 2 months ago

I met Allen right after he opened up. That photo up there is exactly what you get, a big man with a big smile! Good luck!

TooHot 1 year, 2 months ago

Interesting. I got zero press coverage when I opened up my business in Pinehurst..........

MikeNC 1 year, 2 months ago

Nice happy story for a change!! Good for you Allen. Congratulations and best of luck in your business....Mike

JER 1 year, 2 months ago

Allen, that big friendly smile will serve you well. Good luck and best wishes in your new venture.

JER 1 year, 2 months ago

Too Hot: So far, eight friendly comments plus one that you made. I don't know what sort of business you opened in Pinehurst but if your attitude is the same as you displayed in your post, I'll guess that Allen and his business will be around long after yours is history.

JeneccaD 1 year, 2 months ago

@JER maybe it's violin lessons?

dustyrhoades 1 year, 2 months ago

Interesting. I got zero press coverage when I opened up my business in Pinehurst...

Neither did I when I opened my office in Carthage, but you don't see me complaining about it.

Good luck, Mr. Matthews.

MichaelFlorence 1 year, 2 months ago

Good luck with your new business. I have a few things that need to be done on my vehicle, may have to bring it up your way.

RmeMP 1 year, 2 months ago

Good luck Mr. Matthews, welcome to the American Dream :)

I hope your shop prospers, and business is well for you!

herecomesthescience 1 year, 2 months ago

TooHot: "Interesting. I got zero press coverage when I opened up my business in Pinehurst.........." Maybe not when your business opened, but it will make the news when your MOUTH finally shuts!!

golflady 1 year, 2 months ago

I hope the new editor removes these comment sections - they are usually filled with nasty comments from a certain few. Best of luck to Mr. Matthews in his new endeavor - I'll be one of your first customers!

Thatcher 1 year, 2 months ago

What a great story! Best to you and your business Mr. Matthews!

Thispaperisliberallol 1 year, 2 months ago

You people at the pilot do realize that by making his color the issue it demeans his accomplishment? The real headline should be "Man manages to start business and hire people during horrible obama economy" Best of luck boss. Hope the bays stay full and wrenches stay turning!!

motchai 1 year, 2 months ago

Way to go, Allen. Good luck with your new business and God Bless.

camesh 1 year, 2 months ago

Best of luck Mr Matthews! Consider offering a pick up and delivery service for oil changes and minor repairs. I think the people who work in Carthage would be appreciative.

JohnChappell 1 year, 2 months ago

February is Black History Month.

bigD 1 year, 2 months ago

There are a few interesting points in this story that get me excited for Mr. Mathews. Others could learn from this.

He learned a valuable skill in a vocational high school. We need more of this training at all levels.
He chooses to not to rip people off and forgo short term profits in search of long term success by operating with integrity
He enters the world of entrepreneurship which is the biggest predictor of future wealth.
He demonstrates a strong work ethic by staying open for longer hours because he is "hungry"

These are all admirable traits. I do not need to wish Mr. Mathews luck because I know if he sticks to his character he is a certain success!

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