Member Spotlight: Mike Marijanovic, Owner, The Werk Shop
Lake/Forest Lake Bluff Chamber: Tell us a little bit about The Werk Shop and the services you offer?
Mike Marijanovic: The Werk Shop is a full service, independent European repair and restoration shop.
Our valued local customers have come to know us for our meticulous service, repair and preservation work that keeps their new and older BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, Mini, Rover, and Volkswagen vehicles on the road.
And we’ve also built an international reputation on our rich history of restoring classic BMWs. We’re honored to be recognized around the world for the care and quality of our work. With extensive experience in both pre- and post-war models, our client restorations have won numerous prestigious awards at Pebble Beach Concours, Hilton Head, BMW CCA Oktoberfest, and many other events. Our projects have also been featured in the most trusted publications in the industry.
LF/LB: Tell us about your family business and how it has evolved over the years?
MM: We first opened in 2001 in a small two bay shop in Green oaks/ lake bluff. As customers got to know us and word of our services and quality spread around the north shore, we had to find and train new technicians to meet the rising demand. With more employees and more customers, we soon had to find another, larger location. In 2011 we moved into our current facility in Libertyville, right on route 176. This new facility of 20,000 square feet was enough room to fit our service and restoration departments. As we continued to grow, we acquired another building in Lake Bluff that is strictly our storage facility.
LF/LB: What is your vision or hope for the future of your business?
MM: I hope to continue to help our customers enjoy all their vehicles, by creating ease in the maintenance of each one. We have twin boys that go to Lake Forest High School. Who knows, maybe one or both of them with someday join Dad in the family business.
LF/LB: How does The Werk Shop support our community?
MM: The Werk Shop has been a long-time supporter of Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Libertyville. We have supported the chamber and its events for quite some time. We have donated to Lake Forest Highschool, as well as Libertyville HS. We have sponsored many sports team at North shore schools over the years. We sponsor various events and car shows for many different European car clubs. We have donated to Lambs farm, and many other local organizations through-out the years.
LF/LB: Is there anything else you would like to share about your business?
MM: We service BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, Mini, Rover and Volkswagen (VW). Our passion for these marks and our commitment to delivering the best experience possible sets us apart. As a customer, you can expect honest evaluations and the highest quality workmanship – all while saving money with our reasonable hourly rate. Our factory-trained techs use state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and ensure we fix it right the first time. From oil changes to complete re-builds, we handle it all – and your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.
Here are just a few of the many maintenance services The Werk Shop provides, as recommended by European autos specifications:
Brakes/TiresMufflersPower SteeringStarters/AlternatorsElectricalValve JobsEngine Rebuilds & ReplacementsShocks and Struts.
Our service environment is like nothing you've experience before. Want to step "beyond the yellow line" to satisfy your curiosity about the inner workings of your car or talk directly with your tech to better understand their diagnostics? We encourage it. We're redefining the service experience one customer at a time.
Enjoy Wi-Fi, cable TV, and refreshments in our customer lounge and be sure to check in on the latest restoration projects in-house while you're here. We also offer complimentary local customer pick-up and delivery.