At Bockman’s Auto, Truck & Tire, we’ve been serving DeKalb County for over 60 years. A lot has changed since then, but one thing has stayed the same. We’ve always focused on making auto repair feel more honest, more approachable, and less stressful.
Now, we’re asking for your help with something fun.
It’s finally time to give our bee mascot a name.
Before we dive into the contest, here’s the story behind how the bee ended up in our logo, and how a little tagline ended up saying a whole lot.
How the Bee Landed at Bockman’s
When I bought the business from my dad in 1999, we weren’t just a repair shop. We were also a gas station, a convenience store, and a towing company. I was seriously considering spinning off the towing side into its own company. I looked at buildings and even started working on names and logos.
Back then, the Yellow Pages were still the main way people found local services. Businesses with numbers in the name showed up first. That got me thinking about a name that could do two things. I wanted to get listed early, but I also wanted it to reflect our family. At that point, three Bockmans had worked in the business (my dad Charlie, my brother Ronnie, and me). So, 3-B Towing made perfect sense.
Even though we didn’t move forward with the tow company, the name stuck with me. And the letter “B” turned into something more.
In 2001, I started working on a new logo for the shop. I knew I wanted the bee to be part of it. When I worked with the designer, we tried a few versions that looked tough or aggressive (think of Georgia Tech’s mascot). But that didn’t match who we were. I didn’t want the bee to intimidate people. I wanted it to feel approachable, friendly, and trustworthy.
Eventually, we landed on the version of the bee you still see today. It’s clean, cheerful, and hardworking. Just like the people here. It quickly became more than just a logo. The bee became part of the brand.
Where the Tagline Came From
Once I knew the bee would be part of our logo, the tagline followed pretty quickly.
Back then, it seemed like every week the news was running undercover “sting” operations on shady repair shops. Those stories always left people wondering who they could trust. That’s not who we are and never has been.
I wanted something that set us apart.
“Taking the Sting Out of Auto Repair” became our way of saying we don’t play games. We don’t scare people into services they don’t need. And we’re not trying to be the shop that ends up on the news for the wrong reasons. If something needs fixing, we’ll explain it. If it can wait, we’ll tell you that too. No pressure. No sting.
Why a Naming Contest, and Why Now?
Honestly, it just felt like the right time. The bee’s been in our brand for years but never had a name. This is a fun way to let the community be part of something that has always meant a lot to us. It’s also a great excuse to engage with our customers in a new way.
We picked 16 name finalists and created a bracket. Over the next three weeks, the bee names will go head-to-head in a single-elimination tournament on Facebook. You vote, we tally, and the winning name earns the crown.
Here’s how it works:
- Matchups are posted each weekday
- You vote by reacting or commenting
- The winning name moves on to the next round
- At the end of the tournament, we’ll reveal the winner
You’ll start seeing the chosen name show up in our marketing, on social media, and possibly even in future giveaways and programs.
The Bee Is One of Us
Bees are hard workers. They rely on teamwork to get anything done. They protect their hives, work together, and show up every day. That’s how we see ourselves at Bockman’s. No single person here does it alone. It takes the whole crew to keep things running and take care of the people who trust us.
Thanks for being part of this with us. Keep an eye on Instagram & Facebook, cast your votes, and help us finally give our bee the name it deserves.