What Makes a Great Shop?

As you’ve no doubt seen on the cover, this month SSGM announces our 2004 Garage of the Year, Pro-Tech Tire & Auto from Barrie Ontario. Ed Jagt and his staff have built a business that generated tons of enthusiastic response from loyal customers, mainly by smart business practices and pride of workmanship that you can feel just standing in the bays. The problem with giving an award like this, however, is that it’s hard to recognize the multitude of great shops out there that can easily be a Garage of the Year. Shops like Precision Automotive up in Ottawa suburb Orleans, or perennial finalist MSJ Automotive in Windsor. Bob Nurse Motors in Peterborough must have customer service down pat, since the family operation dates back to a blacksmith shop circa 1890! Prairie Service in Port Coquitlam B.C. puts up record sales numbers in a business that’s been in the family since 1958. How about class act Sil’s Auto Diagnostic Centre of Oakville, Ontario (last year’s Garage of the Year), who’s team nominated another shop, AE Auto Plus in Thornhill, Ontario. Or another past winner, Eccles Auto Service Inc., who could probably win on community involvement alone. Mihorens Quick Lube & Automotive Centre in Windsor is a partnership that’s 25 years old and going strong, with an operation that’s cleaner than my kitchen. The strong contingent from Saskatchewan was great to see this year, represented by quality shops like Rochdale Automotive Repair, Cardinal Automotive and Bob Grant’s Auto Service. The same goes for Hu’s Garage in Calgary. And also O’Neill Motors in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, nominated by Jerry Goudie of Goudie’s Automotive, which also goes to show that you don’t have to be in Downtown Toronto to be recognized for great service. I wish I had the space to mention more of the many entries (no, I didn’t count them, but it was a boxful) but I’ll do something that as a rule isn’t done in an SSGM Jim’s Rant, and that’s put in a picture. It’s of Angelo Bartolotta, owner of Geraldton Auto Moto Parts in Geraldton, Ontario. Two days out of surgery and Angelo was in the bays working out of a wheelchair! If that isn’t dedication, I don’t know what is. Thanks to everyone for entering, and remember that you can always write or E-mail if there’s something on your mind. I can’t promise to respond to every one, but I do read every letter. Keep up the good work.