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Aaron and I connected per the suggestion of another friend - prefacing me by saying "he is a true enthusiast and cares for people so well". I visited Wingman Garage to meet Aaron and check out the space which was extremely clean, packed with every tool you could need, and filled with people working on their cars and visitors coming to hangout with like-minded individuals. Aaron's true passion for helping people is evidenced by his innovative business model and his slogan "You never wrench alone at Wingman Garage". I experienced this first-hand as I pulled in with a flat tire and Aaron helped me plug it for my drive home. A massive thank-you to him for having me at the shop and helping with my flat (picture of him fixing my car at the end). Make sure you check out his Instagram, YouTube Channel, and Community Car-Builds!
Tell me a little about yourself, what you do, and where your love for cars originated
My name is Aaron Woloszyn, I'm 35 and I grew up outside Buffalo, NY. I currently reside in Medina, OH. In February of 2021 I opened up my dream business, Wingman Garage. A garage where anyone can rent time in a professional bay, equipped with all the tools they’ll need to maintain and modify their vehicle. I’m always on hand, as your Wingman, to help out if needed. You never wrench alone at Wingman. Small business challenges aside, it’s been a lot of fun and very rewarding. I always had an eye for cool cars and trucks. I would go to car shows with my family all the time as a kid and quickly became fond of JDM vehicles. Although I do love all genre's, believe it or not. Like most automotive enthusiasts, I grew up playing car games on various gaming systems. I have vivid memories of Gran Turismo 1, 2, and 3, and the Need For Speed games. Underground 2 holds a special place in my heart, as it really allowed me to get creative with car modification. And I’m going to say it, in 2001 The Fast and The Furious came out, and I fell in love with the entire automotive scene. All of this truly fueled my passion for anything automotive.
Where did the concept of Wingman Garage originate? What unique needs have you met thus far within the community?
I’ve been thinking about this business for over 15 years. I think at some point, all of us who like working on our own cars have had the same thought, "Man I wish I could just rent a lift for a few hours. This job would be so much easier!". And thus, Wingman Garage was built out of necessity. I too, was tired of working outside in the cold, on a gravel driveway, or in a garage without the proper equipment underneath shaky jack stands. An opportunity arose in 2020, so I decided to chase that dream and bring the business to life. Part of my plan with Wingman was to make the vision more than just a garage for rent. Each year I sponsor a few local enthusiasts; from Autocross, to drift, to circle track racing. I want to support those grassroots racers like myself. I also have individual classes, where you can learn about basic car maintenance; how to do brakes, change oil, and much more. I even hold small events for local clubs and fun automotive related open events for anyone to participate.
Where do you see Wingman Garage going in the future and what are some fun ways you have been able to market the business
I get this question a lot and I'm excited to say that Wingman 2.0 is already in the works. I have very cool plans for a second location that will offer more for the enthusiasts that need it. I won’t give away too much right now, but I'm super excited about what’s to come. As for fun ways to market the business, this year (2022), I kicked off my Community Car Build & Treasure Hunt. In a nut shell, I bought a bone stock 1998 Eclipse Spyder, and a TON of maintenance and modification parts. I held open and FREE events for people in the community, from all backgrounds to come and build the car together. I loved doing this because it gave people the opportunity to get out from behind the screen and be a part of the build. The kicker, at the end of it all, I hid the keys and held a Treasure Hunt! Whoever found the keys, got the keep the car! It was an absolute blast! I have a video coming out in a few weeks on the Wingman Garage YouTube channel, where I’ll be going over the treasure map, its clues and how I set it up. I had amazing feedback from so many participants. For 2023, I fully plan on doing the build and hunt all over again with another vehicle.
What cars do you enjoy working on and driving? Do you have a fun car currently or is there one that has caught your eye?
Honestly, I enjoy working on anything with an engine. My current daily driver is a white Nissan Titan. It’s reliable, loud and serves as the Wingman workhorse for business needs. My weekend fun car, autocrosser, sometimes track toy, is a Red 2007 Nissan 350z. It has your basic handful of bolt-on modifications for handling and a bit more power. It’s not fast by todays’ standards, but it’s quick, revs high, and is a lot of fun to drive. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about. The smiles per gallon. Both of them have Wingman Garage on them, so if you see me out and about, honk and wave!
Where do you go for automotive content & education? Favorite shows, magazines, websites, etc.
Years ago, it was Top Gear, whatever car mag I could grab, the DSMTuners forum, and any car related movie that was in theaters. Nowadays we have many streaming services with car shows of all kinds. But honestly, YouTube is my go-to. There are quality channels out there with builds for every genre of enthusiast and it’s only getting better. From Mighty Car Mods to Cletus McFarland and beyond, you have so many options for fun and educational content.
Other hobbies or interests outside of cars?
As of 11/28/22, my wife and I will have a 1-year-old daughter. So when it’s not business time, it’s toddler time! As excited as I was to become a father, I never expected it to be THIS much fun. When I’m not at Wingman, I’m hanging with the family, enjoying the outdoors, going on adventures, and watching our daughter explore this world. Soon enough, she'll be walking around car shows just like I was.
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