My son, Mike, has worked with me in the shop for many years.And my grandson, Michael, started helping us this summer, aftertaking auto shop classes in high school this year, Williams said.Michael Williams had been planning to continue auto techniciantraining at the three-year program at the local junior college.
I grew up in Florida and after I joined the Air Force, I cameout here to Travis in 1957, Williams said. I started workingpart-time in an auto service station here in Napa in 1958. As alicensed pilot, I was interested when I first saw the hot airballoons here in the valley. Eventually, I tried it and I liked it.I liked it so much that I bought one and started my own balloonride company, in the 1990s. The baskets were smaller then onlyfour or six passengers. It seemed friendlier back then. After 10years, I sold the company.?
Williams love of flying is part of what brought him toNapa.
Williams explained the services he offers.
Williams said business in his shop has picked up dramaticallysince January. The past three years, up to January of this year,were just about the worst three years the whole time Ive been inbusiness, he said.
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Describing the early days of his company, Williams said, I wentinto business Dec. 4, 1961, right after I got out of the Air Force.Things were a lot different around here then. I started my businesson Old Sonoma Road, and when I chose this location in 1967, peoplesaid to me, Lee, do we have to drive all the way out into thecountry now, to get our cars worked on? You see, in 1967, therewas hardly anything down here other than my building, except forswamps across the street and the old ice house in back. That icehouse building is now one of my three shop buildings; I servicemotor homes in there.
Posted inBusiness on Saturday, July 23, 2011 8:44 pm Tags:Lee Williams,Williams Automotive,Mike Williams,Auto Technician,Repair Technician,Automatic Transmission
Thinking back on his 50 years in business in Napa, Lee Williamsobserved, You can do anything you want to if you really wantto.
Its turning around.???
Williams Automotive has long been a strong recycler. We wereone of the first shops to enroll in the Bay Area Green BusinessProgram, which encourages environmental responsibility, goodbusiness practices and community concern, Williams recalled.
FRIDAY JULY 1, 2011 NAPA, CA ? Michael Williams, grandson of LeeWilliams, works on an oil change at Williams Automotive andTransmission. The Soscol Avenue car repair shop will celebratetheir 50th anniversary in December. Jorgen Gulliksen/Register
Williams continued, Ive been on the 9-member board of theAutomatic Transmission Re-Builders Association for seven years, anda member since 1964. In this capacity, I travel around the countryand I get to observe business conditions in many places. Back East,people are already back to being real busy. And I see thebeginnings of a pick-up in economic activity around here now,too.
In the last 50 years, Ive hired a lot of kids out of the NapaValley College program. Many of them worked for the dealers here intown, and Id say that the majority of them eventually went intobusiness for themselves, said the elder Williams.
We certainly do a lot of transmission work, but thats notall, Williams said. We do all repairs except tires and frontends. We have three shops, actually. We had the first smog stationin Napa, started in the 1960s, and we do all exhaust system repairsand testing in the back building. We have our full-service shop inour main building, and we have a complete transmission rebuildingshop next door.
Lee Williams operates Williams Automotive and Transmissions withhis son, Mike Williams, and six employees.
Williams continued, Where are the mechanics going to come from?Fifty years ago, you could learn about cars in the back yard, undera tree, with your buddies. Those days are gone. Today, the computersystems and electronics are so complex, every repair technician hasto have an extensive education.?
The longer wereAuto Repair Williams Automotive owner weathers recession with in business here, we get more and more peoplecoming in from out of town, Williams said. He pulled a sheaf ofs off the top of his desk and glanced at the customeraddresses.
These four work orders are whats come in today, so r Houston, Tahoe, Salinas, and Rancho Cordova. We get tourists andall the Upvalley folks, but were also getting a lot of customersin here from Sonoma, Santa Rosa, Vallejo, even Sacramento and SanFrancisco. Theres plenty of shops around, but they come herebecause they appreciate the quality of the service we provide. Thatmakes me feel good. Its a big reason why Im still here.
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