Paid for contentDuendellure aims to be the ‘go-to destination for vehicle enhancement’
New start-up offering bespoke vehicle interior design and car cleaning
“We want to make people feel great when they’re driving their car”.
Whether that’s just by cleaning the interior of the car, upgrading the sound system or its ambient lighting inside – new start-up Duendellure Auto Design have your every need and want catered for.
The brainchild of 20-year old Tyler Phosungnoen and 19-year old business partner Lee Sinclair, Duendellure offers bespoke vehicle interior design, car detailing and more from its base in Sandwick.
Both of them are not coming into the business from a standing start either.
Lee and Tyler have extensive experience of working with their own cars, as well as cleaning others, and have ploughed hours of research into how they can improve other people’s motors.
“We started working with our own cars, then thought ‘maybe this can be a business idea’,” Tyler says.
“Lee is very good at doing things with his hands, whereas I’m good at the business side.
“I deal with the business operations, processes, procedures and customer services.
“Lee deals with the workshop operations, customer vehicles and management of the physical side of the business.”
Those jobs can be everything from the interior design of the vehicle, from trim panels to seating upgrades, to engine bay cleaning.
Tyler says it “really depends on what the customer wants to see in their car”.
“Ambient lighting is a pretty big one,” he explains.
“Car cleaning takes about four hours, but the design work really depends on what they are getting done to the car – it can take anything between one hour and 20 hours.”
He said that vehicle interior design was “becoming a bigger market”, with people eager to make their cars look as good as they possibly could.
“It’s more for style, and to elevate the vehicle ownership experience,” he says.
“We want to make people feel great when they’re driving their car again.”
And their goal is to be the “go-to destination for vehicle enhancement” in the isles.
As well as that, Duendellure also offers vehicle storage (limited availability) for autumn and winter, and throughout the year, depending on discussions with the customer.
Duendellure is a combination of the words “duende” and “allure”, basically meaning the “power of irresistible attraction”, Tyler explains.
The project has already been a labour of love, with both Tyler and Lee spending long hours at the garage in Rompa, Sandwick, which they currently rent.
Both have day jobs, and so have been dedicating every night after work to Duendellure and ensuring the garage is ready to accept customers.
Tyler says the long-term goal is for Duendellure to become both his and Lee’s full-time jobs.
“We want to expand into different things, to be able to work here full-time and fully support the business,” he says.
“We want to really build it up.”
The most important first step for Duendellure is to get customers in through the door and to show them what they can do.
“We want to build the trust with people, we know that Shetland is more word of mouth than anything else.
“No-one has really seen what we can do yet.
“But we have had a few people expressing an interest already.”
Tyler has extensive family history working with businesses, with his family owning both the Glen Orchy hotel and Phu Siam takeaway.
He says he “wanted to start a business since the age of 10”, and is now raring to go.
He explains the process for how they will deal with vehicles at Duendellure.
“We’ll inspect the car, get the parts then book it in and do the work. We’ll inspect it again once it’s done too.
“We want it done right, we want to take our time.
“Both of us have done things on our own cars, but we also have really researched working with other cars, and will continue doing it to make sure we’re comfortable working with them.”
- You can get in touch with Duendellure Auto Design on 07510 915778, or by email at duendellureuk@gmail.com. Their current times for answering calls are after 4.30pm on weekdays, or after 9am on weekends.
- They are also available through Instagram at @duendellure_auto_design, at their Facebook page here or through WhatsApp.
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