WYOMING, Mich. -- Love has been in the air this week. As it turns out, a full-service gas station in Wyoming has been fueling one romance for years.
Monday FOX 17 shared a story about Don's Service and Auto Repair, located at 28th Street SW and Byron Center Avenue SW. Open since 1950 many community members shared memories including one couple. We quickly learned this Wyoming cornerstone is held dearly in some hearts for more than its classic fill-up and service.
“It’s all about customer service," said Daran Deemter. "You greet them before they even get out of their car, with a smile on your face.”
Deemter remembered working his first real gig at Don's, starting when he was still in high school through college.
“There’s very few places that offer the kind of service that this gas station does," he said.
Yet he remembers and continues to visit Don's for much more than its charm.
"It's nostalgic," said Mandi Deemter, Daran's wife. "Everybody has their place you know, I feel like this is our place."
Daran and Mandi Deemter pictured Dec. 1997
Working nearby as a server in the mid-to-late '90's, Mandi Deemter says she began spending time with friends who also worked at Don's.
“It became more of a thing where I’d come here to see Daran even though," she said turning to Daran, laughing. "There was this cute boy that worked at the gas station. So when I told my mom I was going to the gas station, she knew exactly what I was talking about.”
What started as a regular group hangout fueled this friendship into romance and marriage.
“It’s our story," she said. "And it’s special to us.”
