Chuck Legoe: Owner of Chuck’s Midtown Motors Auto Repair

How did you become a mechanic?

It was by necessity. If I couldn’t fix it, I couldn’t drive it. My parents weren’t well off, and I have always been mechanically minded, building car models, reading car magazines in grade school — that kind of thing.

How has everything changed around you?

Oh, it used to be sleepy little East Maple and North State Street. I’ve watched people come and go from the building on the corner. I’ve watched cars get hit and tipped over in the intersection and a Datsun going through the window of the building across the street. There’s been some adventures.

I watched the building across the street go from a stick-frame hardware building to a condo, a derelict building down the street turning into a condo, things like that.

How long has your shop been around, and what’s the process for closing it?

I started in March of ’94. and so it’ll be 30 years and nine months. 

I’ve been in negotiations with Chevron, who bought Texaco, for the cost-share agreement. Even though I did not dispense petroleum products, I’m on the hook for a share of the mediation.

When that happens, this building will be gone. I would not be surprised if the developer did like developers do, and build lower retail and upper residential, and it’ll be a big building.

What have customer responses been to the announcement that you’re retiring?

They are disappointed. Many customers have been with me from the beginning, and I have customers that just found me and are happy with me. We do good work. We back up our work. Keri Brotzman has been with me for 25 years, and he is a super conscientious, tidy, good mechanic.

What would you like the public to know?

I would like people to go to my website. I will let everybody know where Keri goes, because I’d like them to follow Keri. He deserves it.

We tried to find him a place to move the business … [but] couldn’t find a place. It would have been much easier for me to sell my equipment to one person. Now I have to piecemeal it out, to get rid of it.

What are your plans once things are wrapped up?

I’m looking forward to hooking up my travel trailer and taking off without an agenda.

How does it feel to be moving on?

Oh, it feels awesome. This last three months have been the longest three months, I think, in the 30 years. But it’s coming. A couple more weeks to go.

Dec. 13 is my last day.

Thank you, everyone, for being my customer, and it’s been a great ride.