Shop View: Ski Country Auto Repair and Towing

For Larry Lewark, Ski Country Auto Repair and Towing has been there for every stage of his life. He grew up in his parents’ business, which was a gas station when they opened it in 1971. Larry and his brother took reins of the business with Larry eventually buying his brother out. Larry’s wife, Laura, who he’s been married to for 37 years, began working at the shop 31 years ago when she was pregnant and wanted a career change. The daughter that Laura was pregnant with at the time now works at the shop as a dispatcher.

The shop has seen three generations of the Lewark family and has grown from a gas station into an auto repair and towing company. These walls have seen expansions, leadership changes, children grow up, and business evolutions—all while staying a true partner and advisor to their customers. 

Split Business  

The Lewarks manage both a towing and an auto repair shop, with Larry taking the lead with technical side of the businesses, and Laura heading the office work. At first, the Lewarks tried to use their staff on both sides of the business, but they realized that led to more mistakes and service that wasn’t up to par, so now they have a separate staff for towing and auto repair. The Lewarks have nine tow trucks and two service trucks, which allows them to help do service work for Penske.

Although the businesses run separately, they complement each other. They are able to offer towing to customers, which is a differentiator and benefit when it comes to a customer deciding where they want to take their vehicle. Both businesses account for nearly 50 percent of the sales of the shop. 

Trusted Team  

The name sets the tone for Ski Country’s cozy waiting area, which boasts a wall-mounted crackling fireplace inset into a stone wall, earth-tone wood floors, and a counter with barstools that offer panoramic views of Grays Peak and Torreys Peak. It’s also where the establishment’s core values are proudly displayed. Words like “integrity,” “energy,” and “humble” set the tone for what customers should expect and staff members should exemplify.

“We strive to be a partner with our customers,” Laura says. “We want to be the trusted advisor.”

Another valued member of the Ski Country team is Sadie, the shop dog, who spends most of her time lying at the front door, waiting to serve as the greeter. If asked, she will perform tricks and she even has her own Instagram profile. The now 9-year-old Sadie fits right in with the family legacy of the shop, as she began as an “employee” at just six weeks old.

Space Savings

With two separate businesses running out of 3,500 square feet, Ski Country Auto Repair and Towing packs a lot into their minimal footprint. In 1997, it underwent a 2,400-square-foot addition and now features five lifts and six bays, two of which are outside—a product of its gas station’s origins.

“(They’re) the best bays in the world for half of the year, and the worst … for the other half,” Larry quips in reference to Colorado’s climate.

However, he notes, the outdoor bays are helpful when it comes to working on taller vehicles, Sprinter vans, and alignments.

The Lewarks are currently in talks to enclose the canopy as they are in need of more indoor space.

Through every chapter of growth and change, Ski Country Auto Repair and Towing’s legacy proves that no matter the size of the shop, lasting success is built on taking care of people—both inside the business and beyond its doors.