BY MICHAEL BURKE
Journal Times | Posted: Wednesday, August 1, 2007 12:00 am
MOUNT PLEASANT - James McFarland opened the business in June 1957 as a Sinclair gas and service station. The location, 7904 Washington Ave., was rural but worked out just fine, as it sat directly on Highway 20.
"We fixed tractors, welded bedsprings, whatever the neighbors wanted," said McFarland's son Jamie, who has worked there since he was 14 and took over the business in 1981. "We were a do-it-all garage," including selling used cars, he said.
The business never moved, but the highway did. The overpass built in the 1960s diverted Highway 20, which meant that McFarland's station now sat on the frontage road. From there the auto service and sales business must compete against the lineup of huge auto dealerships that have been built along Washington Avenue.
"We may be the only ones who are excited about the expansion of Stuart Road," Jamie said. That will connect them with the residential areas near Spring Street, he figures.
The elder McFarland, now 90, was deserted by Sinclair when it abandoned Wisconsin. He found other suppliers but ultimately, when environmental laws stiffened, the gas pumps were removed for good.
In about 1974 James added two more repair stalls, and then a showroom and sales offices, said Jamie's wife, Sue. At one time, sales made up about 75 percent of the business and repairs 25 percent, she said, but now those percentages are reversed.
All of the McFarland brothers worked for their father at various times, Sue said. "They never got along," she added with a laugh.
That's probably an exaggeration, because Greg McFarland started McFarland Auto Body a few years ago and still works there, renting space for his business.
The used-car industry has a poor reputation, but McFarland Auto Sales seems to have retained good relationships with its customers. About 75 percent of them are repeats, Sue said. And not until this year did the business end up defending itself in Small Claims Court, for an incident in which they believe they had taken extra steps to please that customer.
"We have almost 2,000 customers we deal with annually," Jamie said. And year after year, auto service and auto sales are among the most complaint-laden categories with consumers, he said.
This year, McFarland Auto Sales will again be affected by projects which will close nearby roads, Jamie said - one on Stuart Road and one on their own frontage road. "We hope they alternate," he said.
Despite all of the challenges, the little family business still pays the entire premium for its employees' health insurance plans, Sue noted. She said, "We almost feel like a dying breed."
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