MEMBER PROFILE MOREY AUTO BODY Owner lives, shops and grows local

Jim Morey inherited his passion for auto-body work from his father, who inherited the trait from his father before him.

"It's a family trade," Morey said. "My son works here too, so I'm passing it on."

Morey has been doing body work since adolescence. He opened a shop of his own in 1981.

Jim and his wife, Kristie, chose to make their home in Bella Vista 14 years ago. In 2014, Jim made the decision to base his business in the community as well.

It's a great location for a body shop, he said. And, no, he's not referring to the rampant deer population in the area.

"Bella Vista's grown enough that we need a business like this," he said. "A lot of my customers don't want to drive all the way to what they call 'town' -- Bentonville."

Located at 1745 Forest Hills Blvd., Jim Morey's Auto Body is centrally located.

His crew is able to do all types of body, paint and glass repairs. The 10 employees have close to 200 years of combined know-how.

"We do anything and everything," Morey said. "Our work ranges from restoring classic cars to repairing more advanced vehicles like the Tesla."

Most of the work that comes into the shop is what he calls parking-lot damage -- minor aesthetic injuries.

"The average wreck here is low-impact due to the lower speed limits throughout Bella Vista," Morey explained.

One of the hardest parts of the job is securing replacement parts for newer model vehicles so the shop sources parts from suppliers across the country.

"The most enjoyable aspect is meeting the people and interacting with the community," he said. "They're good people and good patrons. We're blessed, and we appreciate their business."

It's evident that Morey takes great pride in being in Bella Vista.

"Not only am I a business owner, I'm also a resident," he said. "My attorney, my CPA, my employees are all from the community. I try to live, shop and grow local."

Jim Morey's Auto Body is open from 7:30 a.m to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact them via phone at 479-268-3020. All insurance providers are accepted.