SHERIDAN, Colo. Only 1% of American small businesses are LGBT-certified.
One Colorado-based business is working to end the stigma surrounding which types of businesses the LGBTQ+ Community owns and operates.
Cars are a necessity for many people, which means they need to be maintained and taken care of.
It is often regarded as a man’s job and that stigma instilled fear in CC Haug over the years.
“I just love seeing things come together and then being able be able to care for people,” said CC Haug.
It’s been something that has been a part of my life. Knowing that I would prefer to move and live this way, I have always feared that I would be pushed aside by those in the industry. I have never found a safe and comfortable place to work, or a place that I love.
They are a transgender man who has always had an interest in cars.
My entire life has been devoted to cars. “CC Haug: My dad owned a few different car dealerships growing up, and my brothers owned a couple of different shops over the years.”
Good Judy Garage was founded by two people who were true to themselves and also worked in the repair shop.
Faith Haug and CC Haug, co-owners, wanted their business a place where customers feel at home.
One of us suggested that it would be nice to have a queer auto shop in town. We were all like, “Oh well let’s make one,” said Faith Haug.
It’s more about giving them a safe place to go for things that have caused them anxiety in the past. This is a place where you know you are safe, but you still have many places that you need to be careful.
Good Judy Garage opened its doors in December 2021. The co-owners claim that their rapid success is a testimony to the need their business fills.
Faith Haug said that she believed that in the first months, we had 215 individual clients.
There are 10 auto shops on this street. You can find one on every block. It’s not enough to be an auto shop. We need to attract customers every month.
The Haug’s are role models for the community, making an even greater impact than their own.
“I’ve heard this from a few people, and it strikes me so bizarrely that I don’t know how I should react to it most of the times,” said CC Haug.
I hope that what we are doing makes a positive impact on the world, or at least changes the way people think about things.