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Our History
Our Family automobile history:
My grandfather, Bill Stokes moved to the West LA area from San Francisco the early 1920s. He was following a professional golfer at the time as his personal golf caddy. Grandpa Bill Stokes ended up working at the Los Angeles county club. After the depression, he was working in gas stations and eventually saved enough money to own his first gas station on Pontius and Idaho in West Los Angeles. Grandpa Bill then moved to a different location, just south of Santa Monica Blvd. on Sawtelle. After school my father Jack Stokes worked for my grandfather learning the automotive business and gaining experience. He like My grandfather eventually owned his own stations.
The first an Atlantic Richfield station located at Berkley and Santa Monica Blvd. (photo in store), then he moved to a station across from the MGM studios in the Culver City area. He then purchased another Atlantic Richfield station at Colby and Olympic and following that moved To a Mobil Station at 10th and Wilshire in 1966. Now, I come into the picture, working for my dad in the summer months cleaning windshields and learning to check under the hood and putting air in the customers’ tires. I filled batteries with acid, for sale and of course pumped gas. Even then I was all about customer service. I remember the old days as being fun. I was allowed to keep the tips from customers! Wow! For a ten-year-old boy, this was big stuff, and getting to work with your dad, was even better.
About ten years later, General Tire who was looking to get out of the retail tire store owning aspect, of the tire business, approached my dad with an offer, of course, he accepted! This was in 1976. My Father Jack in 1978 convinced me at 19 years old to work here for one summer while my dad did some rehiring of additional staff needed. Well thirty years later I am still here. The Tire business has been kind to my family. as a whole. I Jon stokes purchased the property this store is on when I was twenty nine years old. Scared to death of the large mortgage payment, I put my head down to work, and never looked back. With good choices, I have managed to attract fantastic help from all departments. I am very pleased. Today, thirty-years later I believe we are the best team in the tire business. A third generation store owner with a ton of experience, A wonderful manager, Jack Martz, who really cares about you the customer! A sales team that is friendly, and caring, with years of experience, mechanics, that keep us going with pride and a install team second to none! Simply put this store rocks!! Today I am very proud of all of our store accomplishments. Please drop in and see us! My promise: We will do you right!
Sincerely,
Jon Stokes |
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