Dirty South Customs

Down in the South, they do things different than anyone else. And if it’s one thing that North Carolinians are known for, it’s for holding their ground—as if they had tar on their heels. It is this sense of tenacity and endurance that has taken Dirty South Customs (Charlotte, North Carolina) to the top of the car game in the Appalachians and beyond.

“Dirty South is representing the whole South,” said CEO Hisham Bedwan. “Not only are we Charlotte, North Carolina, but the name is basically trying to push the South out there. We really try to stay ahead of the industry.” In fact, whenever any new tire size is about to come out, Dirty South usually knows about it while it’s still in development. Then, as soon as it hits the market, they are the first to have them in stock. “We’re usually the first ones with the exotic size tire and the first ones around here that try putting 24s on cars that usually don’t have them…26s and 30s…we usually make it work,” Bedwan added.

Funny, though; six years ago, owners Hisham and Moe Bedwan were getting by with jacking cars up in a gravel parking lot. Then, they slowly started getting into distributing wheels and tires, having seen how big the industry was. Hisham founded Dirty South Customs and DSW Group, Inc. and went from a rim shop to also doing interiors, paint and suspension to wholesale distribution and franchises.

“We started getting the professional clientele in town from our personal relationships, our name and the aura of our shop,” Bedwan said. “What’s cool with Dirty South Customs, with the clientele you have in a big city like Charlotte, we’re doing everything from Bentley, Lambo, Ferrari…the ball players buy them before they hit the lot…and keep it real with the old schools. Then, we add the biggest and most expensive wheels you can fit—every time.”

However, these days, anyone can slap big wheels on a car or truck. So, what’s the formula that makes Dirty South so successful? “We like cars with big wheels, but we like ’em low…sitting low on big wheels,” Bedwan said. “On the West Coast, they like to sit low. In the South, we like to ride high. At Dirty South Customs, we like the ability to ride high and then drop it low on its ass.”

While Dirty South didn’t blow up overnight (“There was a lot of struggle getting to where we are,” Bedwan admitted), what really helped were the past two DUB Shows in Charlotte. Seriously, we wouldn’t make this up. “The show put us on the map with all our friendly competition nationwide,” Bedwan said. “Moreover, our distribution division, DSW Group (wholesale distributor for Giovanna, Hipnotic, and D’Vinci luxury wheels), helped build relationships with other shops and clients worldwide.

All of a sudden, Dirty South Customs was a big name in the area and beyond. In the first show, Dirty South just had a small booth with a couple of cars. Last year, they brought 38 cars—three and a half booths—and everyone was a nice car. “I appreciate the love from DUB Magazine,” Bedwan said. “Doing that really made a big impact in people’s minds. It did grow fast after that—thanks to the exposure.”