March 5, 2026

Acquisition of Leighton’s Garage Marks Entry into 10th State

Grand Rapids, MI — GreatWater 360 Auto Care (“GreatWater”), a leading multi-state operator of full-service automotive repair shops, today announced the acquisition of Leighton’s Garage, a well-established operator in the Twin Cities metro area. The transaction brings GreatWater’s total footprint to 150 locations and marks its entry into Minnesota, the company’s tenth state.
The milestone reflects GreatWater’s continued execution of its disciplined growth strategy focused on partnering with high-quality independent operators and integrating them into a scalable platform. “Reaching 150 locations underscores the strength and repeatability of our operating model,” said Jim Dykstra, Chief Executive Officer of GreatWater 360 Auto Care. “We remain focused on thoughtful geographic expansion, operational excellence, and supporting the teams and communities that have built these businesses. Our partnership with our financial sponsor, Kinderhook Industries, has been central to this growth, providing the resources and long-term capital needed to invest in the infrastructure, talent, and systems that power our platform.”

Kinderhook first invested in GreatWater in 2021, when the company operated seven locations in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. Since then, the partnership has supported continued investment in operations, people, and strategic acquisitions as the platform has scaled to 150 locations across ten states. “GreatWater’s growth is a testament to Jim and his team and their disciplined approach to building this platform,” said Paul Cifelli, Managing Director at Kinderhook Industries. “They’ve demonstrated a proven ability to identify the right partners, integrate effectively, and deliver consistent results. We see significant runway ahead as GreatWater continues expanding its regional footprint.”

GreatWater operates across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kentucky, Texas, Missouri, and Minnesota. The company provides its locations with centralized support across recruiting, training, procurement, finance, marketing, and technology, enabling shop-level teams to focus on delivering high-quality service to customers.
The company intends to continue pursuing acquisitions of established, community-oriented repair shops that align with its operating philosophy and long-term vision.

For additional information about this transaction, please contact: 
Paul Cifelli
Managing Director
(212) 201-6797
[email protected]
 
Kyle Dawson
Vice President
(212) 201-6792
[email protected]