Omar Awan, 35, is “The Car Guy” (@omarthecarguy) — and he loves being around cool cars!
The savvy, highly driven entrepreneur had a vision: To build his own full-service auto body shop empire, right here in Queens. And before long, his dream would become a reality. Headquartered in Woodside, The Car Guys boasts three neighborhood locations acquired in just one year and more expected to launch sometime in 2027.
Combining mechanics, body repair and detailing under one roof, they provide thorough diagnostics, and customers appreciate their transparent pricing, reasonable costs and short wait times.
The Detroit-born, Woodside/Astoria-bred entrepreneur told QNS that he’s proud of his Pakistani heritage and has a deep commitment to community outreach and cultural connection – including partnerships with groups like Arab Socials to host events, foster dialogue and offer support services.
With two locations on 57th Street and another on 64th Street and 34th Avenue, The Car Guys is much more than your run-of-the-mill body shop: It’s a flourishing New York City culture brand that’s a trifecta of luxury and legacy – made stronger by a “giving back” mindset. And folks who know Awan say that he’s always there to lend a helping hand or give advice. He told QNS that he has even helped struggling customers by providing free service for their cars.
Photo credit: Jacob Restituto
Awan’s business has become a magnet for artists, influencers, and car enthusiasts alike.
He described their impressive fleet of exotic cars: Lamborghini URUS, Audi R8 Spyder, BMW M5 Comp, Rolls Royce Ghost, Lamborghini Huracán and more, and talked about their clientele, celebrity co-signs and collaborations, like Moroccan American rapper French Montana (who featured the shop’s cars in his “To The Moon” music video), Fat Boy, Raxstar, Jasmine Sandlas, The PropheC, Jain The Jewler, Sheff G,
Mickey Singh, Farooq Got Audio, Leekey The Bike Star, Ezu, Chani Nattan and Lil Mabu.
(Left to right) Omar Awan, French Montana and Awan’s business partner, Sully Khan. Photo courtesy of Omar Awan
A family legacy
Sometimes, fate and circumstances create life-changing situations that call for wise decision-making. The iconic Robert Frost poem, “The Road Not Taken,” comes to mind: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.
Awan told QNS that he chose his family’s legacy over a shiny, lucrative career move, a decision that would forever change the trajectory of his life.
One might say that his father’s journey from Pakistan to the U.S. over 30 years ago is the quintessential immigrant’s story – both inspiring and unique: After opening Northern Collision in Woodside in 1992, his dad’s auto repair business had become a neighborhood staple that didn’t just service vehicles — it also housed a community-built mosque, still operating today as a non-profit to serve the local population.
In 2024, Awan bought out his father’s business and gave him a well-earned retirement. He transformed it and brought it to the next level – rebranding and relaunching the company as a vertically integrated, design-forward operation, offering everything from autobody and mechanical work to exotic rentals, sales, detailing and full custom builds.
“I accomplished everything I set out to do, and it was time to bring new energy to the business and get more in touch with the younger generation,” he shared, noting that The Car Guys also does customization that “the younger crowd likes,” as well as everything else.
The Car Guys is also popular on Long Island. Awan’s two brothers have auto shop locations in Huntington and Massapequa.
Photo courtesy of Omar Awan
Reaching for the stars
Originally destined for law school at Hofstra, Awan took a detour—leaving to work as an adjuster at GEICO, where he mastered the auto claims game from the inside. He told QNS: “Rather than pushing paper, I was walking shop floors, analyzing competitors and planning my empire.”
Highly driven people, like Awan, create opportunities and turn challenges into wins. They embrace feedback and learn from mistakes, while constantly seeking self-improvement. And they don’t settle for mediocrity.
Smaller and larger businesses are the backbone of NYC and Queens, and successful companies, like The Car Guys, drive economic growth, create jobs and enrich communities across the five boroughs.
A life-changing decision
Before starting his “empire,” Awan told QNS that he worked as a top manager at a large Long Island-based auto business in Bohemia. He was about to make a deal with them that would’ve paved the way toward possibly owning that company one day when the current owner would eventually retire. But Awan and his father started talking about the importance of continuing their family’s legacy, so he decided to go forward with that wonderful opportunity instead.
“It was familiar territory; people knew me growing up, and it made more sense to go back to Queens. And I like it here, more than Bohemia,” he explained.
Always passionate about cars, Awan said he had been coming to work with his dad since he was five and kept learning the trade as he got older. With years of experience in that field, he developed abilities that went beyond servicing vehicles.
“I can read almost anybody,” he shared. And providing some insight into what it was like behind the scenes, he added: “It takes a mental, physical and psychological toll on you. But it’s worth it.”
In a field that often gets a bad rap for its greedy mechanics, Awan noted that transparency and ethics remain the core of HIS business model: “I’m honest, and I like helping and mentoring people. Many times, people of all ages come to me for business advice…even life advice, through social media.”
ScreenshotPhoto courtesy of Omar Awan
What makes The Car Guys special?
“Our connections to the auto community, our branding, our stability (being there for over 30 years) and our passion to make cars look good,” Awan said, adding, “My favorite part of running my business is seeing people’s reactions to us solving a big car problem for them. Seeing their eyes light up when they see their car makes it worth it.”
“And my least favorite part? When some customers expect the best work, for the cheapest price and the fastest work – all in one. You can’t have it all.”
Describing some customization requests, he noted that they entail things like vinyl wrapping a car in a different color, tinting the windows, adding different exhausts, rims and more. He also explained that cars nowadays need more maintenance because there are so many more components, with new sensors, modules, features, computers, etc.
With little time to relax, the hardworking Car Guy somehow found time between running his business and having some fun hanging with friends, to launch a new venture that he’s very excited about: A full-service beauty salon in Kips Bay, Manhattan, called The Beauty Loft. He told QNS: “I deal with what men like most – cars. And now, with what women love most – beauty.”
When he gets some downtime, Awan told QNS that some of his favorite things to do in Queens include sampling what the borough’s ethnic eateries and restaurants have to offer: He likes Kabul Kabab House in Flushing, a Latin Fusion spot called Blend Astoria and Zyara Restaurant in Astoria, which serves up great Mediterranean dishes – among many others.
That New York edge
Awan talked about growing a business in NYC, telling QNS: “It’s extremely competitive, but Queens is the best place to do business, and New York, in general. Most millionaires are here, in NY.”
“Mike Adovic, the former general manager of Paragon Honda [in Woodside], once told me: ‘When you work for a paycheck you get by, but if you work for a profit, you get rich.’”
Awan added: “You can place me in any city in the world, and I will make it… I am New York-trained.
“If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.”