The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON – At the beginning of the year, Ace Automotive began its journey offering domestic and foreign car repair at 527 Cameron Street in Dayton. Andres Lara, 34, bought Jay Ball's garage after working there for seven years.

Jay's Garage offered serice for close to ten years at the Rock Hill Industrial Park. The Port of Columbia County signed a three-year lease with the new owner in December last year.

"Jay and I had been talking for a while about his retiring and selling the place to me," said Lara. "But it came a little sooner than I expected," he laughed.

Taking over a successful business has its upsides and possible downs. Clients who have come to rely on the previous owner may be nervous after a change. As part of Ball's team, Lara is determined to carry his previous employer's high level of customer service and satisfaction.

Barbara Jaksa, a contributor to "The Times," said, "In November 2023, Jay's Garage replaced the engine in my 2007 Ford Ranger. Jay has since sold the business to Andres Lara, and I am happy to say that I received great customer service (Andres was aware of my situation).

"Typical of an engine replacement, there is usually fine-tuning that needs to be done after the vehicle is back on the road. When the Ranger started running rough, Lara asked me to bring it in, and he would honor the recent engine replacement. Within 36 hours of dropping off my truck, I was back behind the wheel with confidence that Ace Automotive stands behind its work and customers,"

Ace Automotive is Lara's first business, but he brings years of automotive experience since he began working on friends' and family's cars, primarily Hondas, when he was 17.

His automotive interests led him to work with a mechanic in Athena, Oregon, where he became a "Chevy Guy."

"People started asking me to work on their cars," Lara said, "So finally, I decided to go to school for auto mechanics."

Lara studied at Walla Walla Community College and graduated in 2012. He joined Jay's Garage in 2017.

Lara sums it all up with a smile. "I started on Honda, then I got into Chevy, then when I came to work with Jay, he was a Ford guy, so I became a Ford guy, too."

Newly elected Dayton Mayor Roger Trump continues at the front desk, and Lara has brought in his cousin Omar Diaz as a second mechanic. Taking over from Jay's Garage, Ace Automotive will continue working on Ford and other domestic and foreign makes and models, including Toyota, Subaru, and, of course, Honda. While diesel is not one of Lara's specialties, he can do some diesel work on domestic models.

Lara lives in College Place with his wife, Jocelyn, and two kids. His son Andreas goes by his middle name, David, and his daughter Aubrianna is called Kaylee.

When deciding on a name for his business, Lara first thought to call it A's Garage, after his and his kids' names. It sounded like Ace, so he made one of his first executive decisions and went with Ace Automotive.

Lara is working on a logo for his business and is leaning towards a design with a playing card. One option features a ace of spades superimposed on a stylized sports car. Soon, he will have a new website and Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Appointments can be made by calling (509) 382-3078 or sending email inquiries to aceautomotive@dayton527.com.