By Marisa Dawson
An auto care business is putting down more roots in Bennington, with a focus not just on vehicles, but on community.
Invictus Mobile Auto Care & Detail Studio officially celebrated the grand opening of its new brick-and-mortar location at 12722 N. 158th St. with a ribbon cutting Friday evening. Members of the Bennington Chamber of Commerce, along with community supporters, friends and family, gathered at 4 p.m. to tour the space and mark the milestone.
For owner Brett Stephens, the moment represents years of experience, risk, and steady growth. “I started this business out of the back of that 2019 Nissan Altima,” Stephens said, pointing to a car parked just outside. “I’ve been in the auto industry since I was 15 years old… just not really happy with where I was at. I decided to just trek out on my own.”
That decision led to the launch of Invictus in 2022. Since then, the business has expanded from mobile detailing into a broader suite of services, including auto glass repair and replacement, mobile oil changes, and now high-end in-shop offerings like paint protection film, ceramic coating and window tinting. “What we opened up the shop for was our higher end services,” Stephens said. “All of that stuff needs more of a controlled environment to get done in.”
The new facility also reflects growth in both capacity and vision. “We were looking at a couple of other spots that were about half this size,” he recalled. Those spaces may have allowed services to be done on one car at a time. Stumbling upon this space changed their outlook when they realized they would have the potential to serve more members of the community. “I’ve always wanted to start my own thing… I envisioned having a shop and that has been about 10 years. And so we’re here now.”
While the business has expanded its services, Stephens emphasized that building a strong team and community presence has always been central to the mission. “The biggest part is building this team,” he said. “I obviously built this company because I wanted to start my own thing, but I wanted to hire people. I wanted to create jobs and create value in whatever communities that we’re in.”
The current team includes mobile detailers, a lead technician, an auto glass installer, remote support staff, and partnerships with other local specialists. Stephens said those relationships are key to delivering on the company’s broader goal. “We want to be the first phone call for anything auto care,” he said. “If we don’t do it, we have relationships built up with a ton of other local businesses that can take care of pretty much anything.”
That commitment to connection extends beyond services. “We don’t just want to be bringing people in here and taking their money,” Stephens said. “We want to start seeing our name on the back of the baseball shirts and the jerseys… We really want to integrate ourselves into the community too. And this is just the start of that.”
Bennington Chamber of Commerce President Felicia Weaver shared a similar viewpoint during the ribbon cutting ceremony, highlighting the impact of the new business for local residents.
“We are so excited to welcome Invictus Mobile Auto to the Bennington community,” Weaver said. “This is a beautiful space… What a wonderful thing for our community. We don’t have a brick and mortar that is like this, and so this is really going to help our community have a space that we can bring to get our cars cleaned and everything.”
She also praised the quality of service. “Brett has done wonders on my cars as well,” Weaver said.
As Invictus settles into its new home, Stephens says the focus remains simple. “We’re here to serve, we’re here to add value,” he said. “Whether we provide a service or not, we want to be the first phone call for anything auto care.”
With a growing team, expanded services, and a new permanent space, Invictus Mobile Auto Care & Detail Studio is positioning itself as both a business and a community partner in Bennington.
