story by Ashley Elvington | photo by Fred Salley
Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Scott Garner grew up in a household compromised of tremendous love. Things took a tragic turn, however, when Scott was 16 years old. After witnessing his father pass away at the young age of 46, Scott’s life was changed forever. “Being the youngest of three children and witnessing him pass really got to me. Little did I know at the time, however, just how much the impact of my father’s love would guide me later on as a single father and a grandfather helping raise twins.” Today, Scott is the proud single father of three children – Amber, Taylor, and Tanner – and the loving grandfather of seven month old twins Peyton and Harper. As in the days of his childhood with his own father, Scott has raised a household full of unconditional love.
Before the days of fatherhood, however, Scott developed a passion for staying active. At a young age, he grew to love sports, particularly baseball, football, basketball, tennis, and swimming. He also enjoyed weightlifting and running, and both are still a part of his life today. “I am an extremely health-oriented person. A daily routine for me is to get up at 4:30 a.m. and head straight to the one of three gyms of which I am a member. My workouts range from one and a half to two hours long, non-stop. I take a supplement called Isagenix, and I only eat healthy food and drink water all day. At the ripe ole’ age of 55, I have never felt better!”
If you ask Scott what the reason behind this journey to better health is, the answer is simple. “The reason I do what I do is mainly for my family. I remember how it affected me to lose my father at such a young age. That being said, I never miss a day of working out. It helps me focus, have more energy, feel better about myself, push myself, and set a good example for my children and employees.” One of his daughters and his grandkids often join him during his workouts, as Scott can be seen jogging with Peyton and Harper in their stroller. “I love to spend time with Peyton and Harper. The Rail Trail here in Florence is a favorite spot for us to go walking and running. They love it! The faster, the better! Rain, cold, or shine…they light up when we get there. I believe this helps them in many ways. Seeing their granddad and mother push and sweat helps them know that exercise is a large part of our life. We got caught in the rain recently and I was concerned they might cry; instead, they started looking up as the rain hit their faces and both started smiling and laughing. I see this as ‘toughing them up’ at an early age.”
When Scott isn’t hitting the pavement or one of his favorite gyms, he can be found at his automotive business, Autorama. Scott entered this career field in 1989 while he was in Georgia. He eventually relocated here to Florence at a local dealership. After his 20 year career ended abruptly and unexpectedly, Scott received a call from a close friend who suggested he come back to Georgia and open his own automotive business. Scott was torn at first, but he knew he needed to talk to his children about it before making a final decision. His children loved being in Florence, as it felt like home to them. Scott felt the same, not ready to say goodbye to his beloved city. Scott decided to look for property here and the rest is history!
At AutoRama, Scott and his team offer lower mile vehicles in the form of Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, and Infiniti. They also have bank financing for both good and bad credit, as well as warranties and gap insurance. All cars come with a three-month, 4,500 mile warranty. If there is a certain car you want that Scott doesn’t have on the lot, it’s no problem for him to utilize a locating service to find the car you’ve been dreaming of owning. “We offer everything a big store offers with a fun, family friendly environment!”
AutoRama is also a family affair. Scott’s son Tanner and Scott’s partner’s son Drew also work there. Peyton and Harper also make weekly appearances, thanks to the nursery at AutoRama, and the family dog Samantha visits to entertain customers. “She’s the gentlest German Shepherd around!” Scott loves having his family around the business, as it helps make the work week even more enjoyable.
Scott concludes, “Purchasing a car at the beginning of the New Year is a good idea. It’s a great time for a consumer to buy, as dealers want a quick start to a new year. Everyone has New Year’s resolutions – get your body in shape and get a new vehicle to motivate yourself even more to be more successful.” It starts with making that first step! So if you’re looking for a new ride in the New Year, stop on by AutoRama and don’t be afraid to bring the kids with you for an experience to help kick start a wonderful new year.
Auto-Rama of Florence | 1310 S Cashua Dr, Florence, SC | 843.673.9766 | www.autoromaflorence.com