By Robert Bailey, January 15, 2018 — As an African American, Best Days in the business world are few and far between. There are long days of the frozen tundra of insults, disappointments, anger and rage.
Having been a Black business man for a number of years as both a real estate agent and a landlord, I like to think I brought my own sense of a balanced fair business practice.
As a Black businessman I was knowledgeable, attentive and accessible to the clients I served, who were in most instances, members of my tribe. When my business acumen failed me for whatever reason, I was at least courteous. Unfortunately, as a client and especially a client who prefers to patronize those with whom I share an historical experience, the same business sensibility is rarely returned.
In spite of years of emotional frustration, I yet again, entered upon a Black business relationship. J.D. Auto body and Paint is an auto body shop I’ve often heard advertised on WURD Talk Radio. I am an avid listener when I’m driving. WURD is the only talk radio station that addresses social and political issues affecting the African American Community in a comprehensive and mature dialogue. it is also a Black owned business.
I chose J.D. Auto Body and Paint with the hope that the same mature sensitivity of the radio station would extend to their advertising. The auto body shop is directly at the intersection of Washington Lane and Wayne Avenue. I’ve driven past it may times and noticed activity on the corner did not mean desperate countenance of the typical body shop or auto repair shop waste of Black owned businesses.
The front façade is bright and cheerful and there are no broken-down junk cars littering the street along the block in front of the shop. I met J.D. Jr., the son of the owner. He was soft-spoken, articulate, young and much taller than I, without being over-bearing. He gave me a reasonable estimate that detailed the work at a fair, negotiable price during the course of our finalizing the paperwork. He informed me that he could not find the splash guard. I needed that replaced since it protected the under carriage of the car. He said it was probably out of production since my car was 16 years old. However, he assured me he would “work something out.”
“Work something out” is usually a death ring of sinister proportions in the business world and the crack of doom in the Black business world but I was reassured somewhat by the professionalism of J.D., Jr’s manner so I agreed on faith in spite of well-earned cynical tingling.
When I picked up my car, I was greatly impressed by the quality paint job. My old car looked new. Unfortunately, J.D. Jr was not present on the day of pick-up for me to express my satisfaction with the work.