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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 5, 2018)
SIUSLAW NEWS | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018 | 7A We Take Your Safety Seriously Shervin’s Tire & Auto keeps its goals community-minded FREE Safety INSPECTION WITH ANY SERVICE THE DIFFERENCE IS THE SERVICE It’s our job to make car care easy, affordable and convenient for our customers, and we take that responsibility seriously. That’s why we offer low prices, guaranteed repairs and personalized service for you and your car. We are experienced, honest, and dedicated to you, the customer. JUST FOR SENIORS 10% OFF for Seniors 62 & Over Expires 9/30/18 NEW CUSTOMER SPECIAL 10% OFF REPAIRS Labor Only. Offer good with cou- pon by appointment for fi rst-time customers only. Expires Expires 9/30/18 RADIATOR FLUSH & a$ Antifreeze Replacement ..... 79 95 FULL SERVICE SHOP offering •Anti-lock Brake Systems (ASE Certifi ed) * Tune-ups • Water Pumps • Complete Engine Repair • Belts & Hoses NAPA CAR CARE CENTER • All makes & models, • Safety Checks • Alternators • Starters foreign & domestic • Tires • Alignments • Driveline Work • Trailer Hitches • Brakes • Shocks & Struts • CV Joints/CV • Suspension Repair Joint Axles/U-Joints • Trailer Brakes • Air Conditioning WRITTEN WARRANTY ON ALL REPAIRS DAMIEN SHERWOOD/SIUSLAW NEWS The Shervin family (above) in the lobby of Shervin’s Tire & Auto, located north of Florence on Highway 101 near Fred Meyer’s; AJ Shervin and his automotive repair staff (bottom) By Damief Sherwood Sieslaw News I n Wyoming’s Jackson Hole valley, the name Shervin rings in con- cord with auto care. “People would see the name and say, ‘Oh, Shervin’s. Trustworthy. Nice. Depend- able,’” said Megan Shervin. “And not just for cars, but for the community.” Megan and her husband AJ own Shervin’s Tire & Au- tomotive, a Florence family business eager to live up to a name and reputation that started nearly 1,000 miles away. “I feel like we’re a one- stop shop,” said AJ. “We can do anything from tires, to lube services, transmis- sions, engines and full diag- nostics.” While Megan handles bookkeeping and gener- al store tasks, AJ commits himself to auto work, worker oversight and maintaining his namesake’s standards. Those standards include ap- plying a diverse experience pool to the job. It’s this di- versity, AJ says, which sets them apart even from deal- erships, which may be too narrowly specialized. “I’ve worked in indepen- dent shops that have worked on everything,” AJ said. “All makes, all models. So I’ve had experience with nu- merous vehicles. . . We’re not specialized in only one thing.” With six bays and a full staff that is experienced and friendly, Shervin’s also aims for same-day service, but re- tains two loaner cars in case of longer jobs. Getting their business to this point wasn’t with- out risk or effort for the Shervins, but the road from Jackson Hole to Florence was a natural one. In the ’60s, AJ’s grandfa- ther opened a gas station in Jackson Hole and it gradual- ly grew into a one-stop shop for tires, oil changes and mechanical issues. AJ began working there from a young age and continued learning his way around an auto shop through his teens until fi- nally assuming the manager position. Along with earning an associate’s degree from the Wyoming-based technical institute WyoTech, AJ ac- crued more than 15 years of experience before setting his sights elsewhere. By this time, Megan and AJ, both born and raised in Jackson Hole, had come to manage their respective family businesses to great success. Jackson Hole’s small-town intimacy had taught them the importance of orienting themselves in a tight-knit community and they felt their individual achievements had qualified them to carve their own path together. The time seemed right for a move. While visiting her sister in Florence, Megan was in- troduced to the Potters, the previous owners of the auto shop just off Highway 101. Coincidentally, they were looking to sell. “We wanted to do our own thing and this was the perfect opportunity,” said Megan. After a few more visits to the Florence area, the Shervins felt the familiar echoes of Jackson Hole’s small-town allure. “We liked the community here. It reminded us of how we grew up in Jackson Hole,” Megan said. “We wanted to be a part of that.” Jackson Hole, like Flor- ence, benefited from a sea- sonal tourism industry, but the Shervins felt the town had shed some of its bed- rock communal cohesion over the years. “We wanted to go to a place where it was commu- nity-minded and we wanted to be part of a community that supported each oth- er. Said Megan. “Our slo- gan here is: Locally-owned. Community-minded.” It’s in this spirit AJ em- phasizes the importance of integrity and workmanship in his shop. “I treat each per- son’s car like it’s my own,” he said. He bemoans instances in which he’s seen mechan- ics cut corners. “That’s my thing. I can’t sleep at night if I did something like that.” It’s a standard he soberly extends to his shop and his employees who share that same goal with AJ. Back in Jackson Hole, the Shervins had turned them- selves into a household name — so recognizable that surprised travelers from Jackson Hole coming down the Oregon coast have even been prompted to stop by the Florence shop. Megan and AJ hope to achieve the same kind of recognition among Florence residents. As Florence strives to make its own small mark on the map, the Shervins see themselves entwined in the process. “We want to grow with Florence,” said Megan. “We want this town to succeed.” Passing their auto shop’s second anniversary mark, Megan and AJ are feeling more deeply connected with the community as their roots sink into Florence soil. “We’re getting to know the town, and hoping that the town gets to know us, too,” said Megan and AJ.