Business feature: Business hardly 'in dark'

Jeremy Southern has a list of reasons why a car should have tinted windows.

Of course, he owns J’s Auto Tint, so many people might expect that.

“Not only does it block 99 percent of (ultraviolet) rays, but it also blocks 50 percent of the heat that comes into your vehicle,” Southern said.

The tinting also protects the interior and helps the car look nice, he said.

How does he do it?: Southern uses a tinted film cut to the proper shape to darken car windows. It has a lifetime warranty, he said.

If the vehicle has flat-glass windows, Southern merely applies the film. However, if the glass is curved, he has to heat-shrink it first.

The work takes a few hours, Southern said. Customers can leave their vehicles, and he will deliver them later or wait for the owner to pick them up.

The cost for a small job, such as two side windows, is $35, while getting every window in a vehicle like an SUV tinted carries a price tag of $135. Southern will provide quotes.

Getting started: When Southern was working in a body shop, he saw someone tinting windows, and the job appealed to him. He earned a certification for the work at Tarrant County College in Euless, Texas.

At first, Southern’s business was a side job.

“And then within a few years, I was able to have a steady clientele,” he said. “That’s when I was able to do it full time.”

For three of J’s Auto Tint’s five years in existence, it has been a full-time business.

“It’s extremely busy in the summer time,” Southern said.

While the summer heat brings in a few cars per day, he has little to do November through January.

The benefits: Southern said the home business allows him to spend more time with his wife and children.

“It’s a clean line of work,” Southern said. “It’s fun to do.”

In the future, he hopes to have a bigger shop and grow the business.