Free Shipping over $149 w/coupon DIFree | 3,000+ Products | 95 Brands | 12,000+ Reviews | 1,850+ Detailing Articles
Close Menu
Clean ⋅ Shine ⋅ Protect
Cookies are disabled in your web browser. To shop with Detailed Image, please turn cookies on and then refresh the page.

Introducing A New Author, Nicholas Chopp!

by

Aloha everyone! My name is Nicholas Chopp, and I own and operate Revitalize Auto Spa in Honolulu, Hawaii. My wife and I also own a photography business, Four Twigs. My passion for cars started young and only built after I bought my first car, a 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham in Azure Blue. More than a few hours were spent waxing it under the front tree of our home in Middletown, Ohio.

1978 Cutlass Supreme Brougham

After graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Communication from Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, MN I spent two years as the Director and Senior Editor at KEYC Television (a CBS affiliate) and then 3 years as a 911 Dispatcher for Mankato Police Department/Blue Earth County Sheriff. Again finding myself bored, I joined the Army in 2010 and attended Basic Combat Training and Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Signal Corps (IT).

Commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant

Since then we’ve been stationed at:

  • Fort Gordon, Georgia (pretty good)
  • Fort Sill, Oklahoma (tolerable)
  • Fort Bliss, Texas (awful)
  • Fort Gordon, Georgia (again, still pretty good)
  • Pyeongtaek, Korea (about an hour south of Seoul, great)
  • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (not bad)
  • Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii (awesome)

When we were stationed at Fort Gordon the second time I started getting into machine polishing, starting with the gateway drug of the Porter-Cable 7424XP. Learning on my own vehicles (as I think most of us do) I went to work polishing out our 2002 Infiniti Q45 in Black Obsidian and 2005 Infiniti QX56 in Jade Metallic.

Q45 1 Q45 2 Q45 3 QX56 1 QX56 2 QX56 3

After tackling these two I branched into friends’ vehicles, polishing out and coating a few cars, SUVs, and bikes. As I became more comfortable we decided to start turning a profit with it, and my first paying job was a BMW M3 in the awesome Silverstone Metallic.

BMW M3

I was hooked. A full polish, synthetic sealant, and polished tips and wheels. The client was ECSTATIC, so I knew I wanted to keep going. A 2007 BMW M6 was my promotion gift to myself after making Captain, and I began attending auto shows and finding more clients that way.

BMW M6 1
About six months later we received orders to Korea, which put the detailing hustle on hold for two years. Upon our return to the states (Oklahoma City) I did a little work, but being in charge of an Army Recruiting Company didn’t leave a ton of time (plus I didn’t feel like working in an un-air-conditioned garage in the 105+ degree Oklahoma heat).

Honda Fury 1200 Ninja 650

During all of the excitement of 2020, we received orders to move again, this time to beautiful Hawaii. Both Revitalize and Four Twigs have absolutely taken off. I found a very untapped market for prepping vehicles to ship back to the states, as well as for lease turn-ins and service members looking to sell their vehicle. I look forward to connecting with you all, and hopefully passing on some knowledge on how I run a detailing company as a side hustle. Stay safe!

Nicholas Chopp
Revitalize Auto Spa
Honolulu, HI
RevitalizeAutoSpa.com/
Facebook

10 comments on Introducing A New Author, Nicholas Chopp!

  1. Jim says:

    Can we we use the new ps shampoo for a lubricant for clay bar

  2. Ron Ayotte says:

    I would like to say thank you for your service to our great nation and welcome to Detailed Image! I am a retired firefighter (I rose through the ranks and retired as a Deputy Chief, so I know the responsibility that comes with your rank) and I also detailed on my days off from the firehouse. I own WaxWorks Automotive Detailing in Marlborough, Massachusetts and I detail each vehicle as if it were my own. ne again, Welcome!

  3. Josh Schneider says:

    Also from Ohio & 1st car was an 84 Cutlass! An interesting year trying to turn a side hustle into a FT thing. Looking forward to more articles. Thanks

  4. DONALD E FRETTER says:

    Welcome to Detailing and thank you for your service.I was wondering if you were related to the Chopp family that lived in Roseville ,Mi.Carol and Bill Chopp were the Parents and they had 3 children Nancy, Patty And Billy (Deceased)..Nancy now lives in Arizona and i think.Just curios as it it a small world. Cheers ,

    • Hi Donald! Appreciate the support! I can pretty much guarantee I’m distantly related to them. Most of the Chopps emigrated to Michigan (particularly Detroit). There aren’t too many Chopps around. 🙂

  5. Jeremiah says:

    What polishing compounds would you suggest for the beginner? This will be on my own vehicles we have a black 2012 VW and the Florida sun has caused some damage to the roof and I believe it can be brought back. I bought a Chemical guys polishing kit with the Torqx polisher it seems to work pretty good still need to get some pad cleaner and some good polishing compounds.

Leave a Reply to Nicholas Chopp Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Commenting Rules

  • Try to keep your comments as relevant as possible.
  • Don't be abusive: no personal attacks or any other nastiness.
  • Feel free to express your opinion, but do so in an eloquent way.

If you do not respect these rules your comments may be edited or even deleted.

My Offers
25 Off Brand Sale
Free Stuff
Big Discounts While Supplies Last - Clearance Items - Shop Now
Quantity Discounts - Buy More, Save More!
Close overlay