About Us

Alissa and Will Stechschulte didn’t set out to open a garage. In fact, they started their careers in suits and on screens—deep in the world of politics in Washington DC.

Will, a Westerville native and graduate of St. Charles Prep, had followed his ambition to Capitol Hill as a legislative aide. Alissa, born and raised in New York City, was thriving at a multi-million dollar lobbying firm on K Street. The two met during their time at Gettysburg College—Will was a sophomore, Alissa a freshman—and from the very beginning, they were all in. So much so that they got married two days before Will’s graduation.

After college, life moved fast. Work was intense, expectations were high, and the wins often felt abstract. Even though Alissa had fallen in love with Columbus during a visit early in their relationship, and had quietly dreamed of one day building a life there, their careers kept them rooted in DC. But everything changed after their son, William Jr., was born.

They packed up their lives and came back to Columbus. For Alissa, it felt like coming home to a place that had been calling her for years. For Will, it was a chance to be closer to family—and to finally listen to a part of himself he’d long ignored. While he'd always been curious about how things worked, especially cars, he had never allowed himself to seriously pursue that path. Now, with a fresh perspective and a growing family, he dove in: taking automotive classes at Columbus State, working at Firestone, and earning his ASE certifications. Alissa, as always, was close behind, learning the industry from the inside out as they launched a car rental business together on Turo.

Over time, the cracks in the auto maintenance world became impossible to ignore: confusing pricing, jobs that no one could explain, and a general feeling that customers were being taken for a ride. They knew there had to be a better way—one built on trust, clarity, and real care.

That’s how Penelope’s Garage was born.

The name? That came from their second child—Penelope—who decided to surprise everyone by arriving at just 35 weeks. It should’ve been a warning that she was going to do things differently. Despite being born early, she spent no time in the NICU and came out strong, hungry, and totally unbothered by anyone’s expectations. She broke every assumption Will and Alissa had about what a premature baby should be like, and completely redefined what that experience looked like for their family. So when it came time to name a business that would challenge industry norms and flip the script on how car care is done—they couldn’t think of anything more fitting than naming it after her.

Penelope’s Garage is bold, unexpected, and built to defy what’s traditional. Just like its namesake.