By John Kline
For Goshen’s Steve Yoder, working with cars has been a 25-year love affair.
Owner of Steve’s Garage, 910 Georgia Road, Goshen, Yoder is now celebrating his 25th Anniversary maintaining and repairing cars in and around the Goshen area.
A longtime car aficionado, Yoder first caught the bug as a teenager working in his father’s excavating shop on C.R. 28 near Peddler’s Village.
“My dad used to have an excavating company, and from the time I was 12 or 13 years old, I was always out in the shop turning wrenches with him,” Yoder said. “It’s always been something that has just come easy to me.
“Growing up I just thought everybody could do this. I’ve always enjoyed it, and over the years my friends used to say if you ever wanted to find Yoder, just start looking in nearby garages and you’ll find him.”
In 1978, while working part time at a trailer factory in Middlebury, Yoder found himself dreaming of going into business for himself. In 1985, that dream became a reality.
“I went out on my own in 1985, and haven’t looked back,” Yoder said. “In 1986, I actually built this building I’m in now. We have a farm up north, so we just went up there and logged and cut all the timber, and we built this place with the timber ourselves.
“My dad was a big, big help with that — not necessarily money-wise, but with backbone, definitely.”
Since going out on his own, Yoder has maintained primarily a one-man operation, though he admits he has had a little help from friends along the way.
“I have a helper that comes in and helps clean, and when I get busy they’ll help out a little,” Yoder said. “Over the years a lot of my friends have worked here off and on, which I’ve enjoyed.”
As to the services he provides, Yoder said his primary focus has always been engine work, though that focus has changed somewhat as technology continues to improve.
“When I really started out it was the major engine work that nobody else wanted. Everybody back then was busy doing the brakes and shocks and things like that, so I went into the major engine overhauls,” Yoder said. “Nowadays engines are so sophisticated we usually just swap them out, but over the years I’ve done just about everything. Anything related to a car, I can do it.”
In addition to his usual work, Yoder has also recently added a detailing segment to his offerings as a way to help supplement his income in these lean economic times.
“I started that up just about the first of the year,” Yoder said. “I’m really trying to make this kind of a one-stop shop, where you can come in, get your oil changed, maybe some detailing, whatever you need.”
Despite his longevity, the downturn in the local and national economies has definitely taken a toll on Yoder’s business, though he admits things could be much, much worse.
“Over the last two years business had dropped off because of the economy,” Yoder said. “Everybody’s doing their own work on their cars, or just not driving to work anymore. I’ve heard that all the garages are kind of in the same boat right now. But I’m lucky in that I have all my tools paid for and I don’t have the big overhead that some of these newer garages are facing.”
To try and help cushion the blow a bit for his customers, Yoder has even elected to take a pay cut.
He dropped his hourly labor rate from $70 an hour to $65 to help people out.
“People just don’t have the extra money to get their work done professionally anymore,” he said.
Increased offerings and lowered prices aside, Yoder said it’s honesty and reliability more than anything else that he feels keeps his loyal customers coming back year after year.
“Being totally honest with my customers is key,” Yoder said. “I have customers who have always commented on that. It’s just being honest. If I don’t know what’s wrong, I tell them, and I think they appreciate that.
“I’ve always tried to fix these cars like they’re mine, and I think that’s the main thing that’s kept me alive for so long.”
Goshen’s Jane Dewitt, a longtime customer, agreed.
She said she has taken her cars to Steve for about 17 years now. He has serviced all of her family’s cars and two of her children still go to him today.
“So, you could say he has become almost a part of the family,” Dewitt said. “The main thing for us is he’s honest and always there for you when you need him. Now that doesn’t mean maybe you won’t have to wait, because he’s a one man operation, but it’s worth it.
“When I drive away from his shop, I know my car is fixed.”
