After 64 years of business, a struggle to recruit qualified technicians has led to Pat’s Automotive Center of Caribou, Maine closing its doors, reports The County.
First established in 1960 as Al and Pat’s Sunoco, Patrick Belanger passed the business down to his son Wayne in 1985, who has operated it since then alongside his wife, Mary Lee, and son Scott.
Though Scott was willing to take the business over from his parents, a struggle to identify techs in the region has proved to be a continual roadblock for the family business. In the past two or three years, the shop went from having five employees to now being just the Belangers.
The problem points to a larger issue the region has had to contend with, which is its struggle to attract and retain young workers to Aroostook County—something that was highlighted during a forum in Presque Isle, Maine, last year.
Throughout the years, Pat’s Automotive Center has worked to keep pace with automotive technology, expanding its offerings to include automotive diagnostics. The shop has also seen significant growth, having added three new shop doors to expand their capacity.
However, the more advanced technology becomes, and the more business they see, the higher their need is for highly trained technicians.
“When we started, you used to change the exhaust, oil and tires, but now you also have diagnostics and electronics. Newer vehicles have many gadgets on them,” told Mary Lee.
The business is set to cease operations on Oct. 1, but the family is keen to pass the business on to someone that will preserve the reputation they’ve built in the community.
“Someone whose priority is to take care of customers first. The most important thing is to be honest and treat them fairly,” Mary Lee stated. “Based on the feedback we’ve received [since announcing the closure], that’s what people liked. They trust us.”
