GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A good mechanic is hard to find. A Grand Rapids mechanic says his loyal customers are what kept him around for 50 years.
With a simple pull, Ted Makarewicz is open for business at the corner of Fulton Street and Marion Avenue.
"You know, engine tune-ups. You do spark plugs and spark plug wires and all that kind of stuff. It is like the old cars; we used to have to put points and condenser and things like that. It's a lot different technology today," Ted's Service Center owner Makarewicz said.
Technology has made a big leap since Ted started working on engines at Ted's Service Center.
"Most of the engines today are V6s in four cylinders. And they develop as much power as a V8 today, the six pillars and a lot of the force owners with turbo on them, hey, they compete with the V8 for sure. You know, they got lots of power," he told FOX 17.
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A man celebrating this big milestone is under the hood of this old Gulf Oil gas station.
"Just being able to make 50 years, and I enjoyed all the challenges, and they and I really appreciate the patronage from all the people. A lot of people in the neighborhoods here," Makarewicz said.
Ted has seen a lot of changes in his time here.
"Ace Hardware wasn't there, used to be years ago a Shell gas station then it went to a Clark gas station. And now it's an Ace Hardware, and that other place that Family Dollar that used to be Parkside food market, and that's no longer there," Makarewicz said.
What hasn't changed is his local customers.
"He says to me, 'Ted, you scare me.' I said, 'What do you mean, "I scare you."' He says, 'I used to come in here when I was eight years old with my dad. And now I'm 58 years old, and you're still here,'" Makarewicz said.
"Here" might not be much longer. Makarewicz says he is looking to sell the shop to the right buyer.
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