The Werk Shop is a full service, independent European repair and restoration shop located 45 minutes north of Chicago in Libertyville, IL.
Our valued local customers have come to know us for our meticulous service, repair and preservation work that keeps their new and older BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, Mini, Rover, and Volkswagen vehicles on the road.
And we’ve also built an international reputation on our rich history of restoring classic BMWs. We’re honored to be recognized around the world for the care and quality of our work. With extensive experience in both pre- and post-war models, our client restorations have won numerous prestigious awards at PebbleBeach, Hilton Head, BMW CCA Oktoberfest, and many other local events. Our projects have also been featured in the most trusted publications in the industry.
The Werk Shop was officially founded in 2001 by BMW enthusiast-turned-businessman, Don Dethlefsen when he opened the doors to his then personal restoration garage to the public. An active member in the BMW Car Club of America (BMWCCA) since the early 80s, Dethlefsen had enjoyed showing his most recently completed restoration projects at local and national concoursd’elegance events, such as the annual Oktoberfest. Fellow participants and attendees were so impressed with his level of perfection that his phone was soon ringing, requesting that he please restore their cars the way he had done his own. And the rest, as they say, is history. The Werk Shop has since grown exponentially from that single stall rented space to two impressive buildings (service/restoration and storage) of more than 30,000 square feet and is now owned by Dethlefsen’s son-in-law, Mike Marijanovic, an entrepreneur in his own right, who joined the “family business” in 2005 before purchasing it in 2008.
Learn more about our history here.
