Small Business Of The Month!

The Sims Body Shop crew with Dean Qualls of the Small Business Development Center and Rubye Barnes of the Poteau Chamber of Commerce. Photo by Keely West, Poteau Daily News

Donna and Tim Sims (front row center) and the Sims Body Shop crew accepted the Poteau Chamber of Commerce Award for Small Business of the Month from Dean Qualls (front, left) and Rubye Barnes (front, right.).

Tim Sims has been in the "body business" for 20 years. Sims Body Shop, which started out with Tim and a 1,500 square foot tin building, will celebrate 18 years of business in July.

The shop now has 11 bays and 9,700 square feet of work space with an additional 800 square feet of office space. Nine people are employed by the business.

Tim Sims said the company has several nationally certified technicians. They have a variety of state-of-the-art equipment from the Dupont computerized color matching system and a down draft paint booth with baking capabilities to a Pathways computerized estimating system and a Hunter four-wheel alignment system.

A recent acquisition, the Shark computerized electronic frame measuring system, uses ultra sound technology and allows Sims technicians to line up a vehicle's frame to manufacturer specifications.

Sims has been a dealer for Rhino Linings bed liners for four years. Sims is conveniently located two miles off Broadway on Pleasant Valley Road.

The Oklahoma Small Business Development Center, located at Carl Albert State College, selects three businesses each month and provides a ballot to the Poteau Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber Board then votes for the Small Business of the Month.

The Oklahoma Small Business Development Center provides free assistance to area businesses and works with the Department of Commerce to make regular workshops available.