Focus Carlsbad Spring 2026 | Short's Paint & Body

April 8, 2026
Featured Stories, Focus Magazine, Top Stories

The culture of hard work and hot rods runs deep in the Short family.

Roger Short, a native of Carlsbad, was raised in an era when grit and a never-quit attitude shaped not only his family but also the way he successfully managed multiple automotive businesses for nearly 50 years. For the Shorts, their work extends beyond restoring a damaged vehicle—it reaches into the space where people start putting the broken pieces of their lives back together.

In high school, Roger took auto body and discovered a passion for auto painting and bodywork. At 18, he had already launched his first body shop in Arizona. Drawn back to his New Mexico home in Carlsbad, he built and sold another business. He also worked non-automotive jobs by day and painted cars at home on nights and weekends, slowly earning a reputation for quality work and dependability. The years of juggling regular jobs while painting on the side meant that by the time he opened Short’s Paint and Body, many locals already knew him as the guy who would work late into the night to make sure a car looked just right.

Alongside a growing career, Roger was also growing a family. His son, Rustin, was raised inside the walls of the shop. From learning to walk (literally) to understanding the ins and outs of the business, Rustin was raised around cars. “I joke and tell customers all the time that this was my daycare,” he said. The shop also provided his first job, and he began earning a paycheck at 13 by sweeping floors and taking out the trash, tasks that instilled work ethic, discipline, and attention to detail.

Rustin excelled beyond the workplace, especially academically. Roger saw his son’s potential and encouraged him to go to college. Rustin reflected, “Like all baby boomers, they want their kids to do better than them.” So, Rustin complied, moving to Arizona to complete a four-year degree.

But even during college, he could not stay away from the trade. He first did paint and body work, then spent time at a mortgage company before finally finding his way into the office side of a paint and body shop. Rustin said, “I beat down the doors of anybody that would, A) work with my college schedule, and B) let me get in the office somehow.” This persistence played an integral role in rounding out the skills he would later need to earn a place in the family profession.

During his senior year, Rustin decided to open a conversation with his dad about buying him out, and Roger agreed. Rustin moved back to Carlsbad with a new appreciation for small towns and family. Together, they successfully transitioned to Rustin’s leadership when Roger retired at the end of 2018.

Rustin continued to prioritize quality repairs, but equally important, customer relationships. The reason customers return is not just the service, it is the people delivering it. Many of the team members have been with the company for years, even decades, building relationships with customers that go far beyond a single visit. At the heart of the company’s success is a team of dedicated employees whose hard work, skill, and commitment continue to drive the business forward. Rustin believes that, “If you do right by people, the numbers will take care of themselves.” This was always his dad’s standard, and he carries it on today.

While a successful career is satisfying, the most important aspects of life are often discovered outside of a nine-to-five. Rustin and his wife are now raising their daughters, making time to be present, despite the never-ending demands of owning a business. Whether he is coaching his girls’ teams or working side by side with his dad to build a house, Rustin places family at the heart of everything he does.

Short’s Paint and Body is more than a repair shop; it is a multi-generational legacy of perseverance, resilience, and a deep commitment to family and community relationships. If you encounter an unexpected bump in the road that leaves your vehicle needing repair, let their team be part of the journey to restoring what was broken.