| Auto repair shop owner fixture in downtown Augusta
Carl Harris has been a fixture on 14th Street in downtown Augusta since 1966. Harris still repairs vehicles each day alongside his son and only employee, Kenneth Harris. Harris and his son work long hours, but he doesn't mind because he loves his job. He loves figuring out how cars work, taking them apart and putting them back together, he said. If Harris and his son aren't repairing cars, they're at the shop for customer convenience, performing estimates and troubleshooting. "It was something that I always wanted to do," Harris said. I always wanted to be a mechanic. There's a lot of competition locally in the auto repair corporation. Between competition and the economy, business hasn't been easy through the years. He carefully manages his expenses, that include mechanical tools, hydraulic lifts, scanners, computers and utilities. "It's the joy you can get out of doing a job and seeing it work and work correctly," he said. "I didn't have a lot of money to begin with. In the early days, Harris worked in general auto repair, but two decades ago, he started specializing in automatic transmissions, which enable vehicles to change from one gear ratio to the next. To stay in corporation, Harris focuses on building relationships with his clients. "If you notice now, most garages or auto repair shops are specializing in different items. "It was more profitable. |
Monday, 26 March 2012
Auto repair shop owner fixture in downtown Augusta
