Car owners left with few mechanic options after DC Auto closes shop

DC Auto, the only automotive mechanic shop in Wrangell, closed its doors for good last Friday, after being in business for about seven years.

The closure leaves a void in auto services with not many options to get a vehicle repaired, oil changed or other needed fixes.

There are a few mechanics in town who provide service to select clients or friends and family, but that’s of little comfort to someone with a trashed transmission or blown head gasket.

“We’re thinking about getting back into it, and we’re actively trying to find guys for a shop,” said Dave Miller, who owns Dave’s Welding.

Miller said he bought all the equipment for a shop, including diagnostic computers last year. A mechanic from Montana was hired and moved to town. “He didn’t make the winter.”

Part of the difficulty in opening a shop — or any business lately — is finding reliable staff.

“It’s a fine line with employees,” Miller said. “Who I’ve got here (in the welding shop) have been in Wrangell all their lives.”

Miller said his shop currently services vehicles for SEARHC and other private clientele, but they aren’t taking on work from the general public. He’s not sure if another shop will open in Wrangell, but he said, “There’s definitely a huge market for it.”

Will Shilts, who worked for DC Auto off and on for around four years, said last week he wasn’t sure what he was going to do after the shop closed on Friday.

“I’ve been a mechanic a long time, a very long time,” Shilts said. He staffed the shop so that clients could come in to pick up parts they had ordered which had not been used to fix their vehicles. Though Shilts has been a mechanic for years, he doesn’t think he will pursue another automotive job.

A statement posted on Facebook by the shop read: “DC Auto will be closing their doors permanently. We apologize for this turn of events. We realize there is an outstanding amount of parts that have been ordered for our customers and want to make sure they receive them.”

Customers were encouraged to pick up their parts last week while the shop was still open. “Any parts not gotten will be discarded,” the statement continued.

The owners of DC Auto have not returned calls or messages from the Sentinel for comment.

Eric Yancey, who offers drive-aboard boat service to Petersburg, said he hasn’t had anyone use his service to get their vehicle fixed at one of the three automotive service shops there. However, Shilts said it wasn’t uncommon for clients to come from Petersburg and Ketchikan to get their vehicles fixed at DC Auto in Wrangell.