West Liberty Business Association February Spotlight - Solomon's Garage
Business Name
Solomon's Garage
Owners
Dave & Katie Neer
Business Phone Number
937-887-0029
Email
dnkneer@gmail.com
Business Address
122 S. Detroit St., Box 607
West Liberty, Ohio 43357
Website
www.solomonsgarage.com
1. When did your business open?
January 2012
2. How many employees are there at your business?
5-6
3. How did you start your business?
Dave worked as a certified master technician at a BMW dealership in Indianapolis for 10 years but always wanted to open his own shop. In 2011, we had the opportunity to move "home" and rent a space in the Neer family farm machinery shed from Dave's parents to start our business. After selling our home in a down market, we walked away with very little capital to start our business and Katie was staying home with our then 15 month old son, Levi. Dave started that winter of 2012 in an unheated shop, wearing coveralls and crawling around underneath vehicles, taking breaks to warm up his frozen hands so he could work. He jokes that he literally started "from a scratch". In 2015, we were running out of space there, and found out that our new location was coming up for sale just a few miles from home. We were fortunate enough to be able to purchase our building from Michael Hostetler in the spring of 2016.
4. Why did you start your business?
Dave has truly been blessed with a gift and a love for working on cars. He has had the opportunity to receive the highest levels of training available in his field, and his skills have yielded him regional and national recognition. Still, Dave wanted nothing more than to share his knowledge and experience with his hometown. (We both graduated from WL-S in 2000.) Today, we both find it incredibly rewarding to work in a small town where we can truly get to know our customers and make a difference in their quality of life.
5. How did your business get its name?
King Solomon is known as the wisest man who ever lived. In the BIble, it is noted that he said "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." This has been Dave's motto throughout his career, so he decided to name his business after the man who spoke those words.
6. What’s something unique about your business that customers might not know?
We service all makes and models of vehicles, but especially Europeans and other imports. We tackle everything, even the "hard stuff" like electrical diagnostics. Those challenges are what make us tick!
7. Why did you choose West Liberty for the location of your business?
We had a young son at the time we started our business, and having both grown up in this community, we wanted to move back to raise our kids here by their grandparents, Phil (and the late Shan) Neer and Sam and Jeanie Crabtree.
8. What’s your favorite local area event?
The Labor Day Festival!
9. Why are you a member of the West Liberty Business Association?
Katie has been involved as the secretary of the West Liberty Business Association for the last 4 years because she feels strongly that West Liberty once was and currently has much potential as a thriving tourism destination. Katie has been working with local business owners to boost our local economy, especially in the area of tourism.
10. How do you use MyWestLiberty.com?
To look up local business contact info and to get info on local events, and to advertise our own business.
11. Where are your favorite places to #ShopLocal?
ALL OF THEM! We love grabbing a coffee and pastry at Sweetie Pie's. We exclusively grocery shop at Thoman's IGA. You can't beat the waffle cones at the Ice Cream Parlor or the candy at Marie's. We also like to eat out at Mad River Farm Market, Liberty Gathering Place, Michael's Pizza, and Plank's Pizza. We also like getting home decor from Kara Lynn's, Highland Country Store and HIdden Treasures. We are so thankful to have a nice Shell station in our town. Professionally, we couldn't live without the supportive network of Rabenstein Electric, Hughes Plumbing, Berry Digital Solutions, A Needle Pulling Thread, Yoder Concrete, Holdren's Metal (they fabricated all our stainless steel counter tops at the shop), West Liberty Building and Supply and Stidham's Roofing and Painting. When you sit down and think of all the thriving businesses we have locally, there is almost never a reason to send our money out of town!
12. Do you have any upcoming promotions, events, sales or anything else you would like to add?
This month we are offering $10 OFF a POWER STEERING FLUSH or FUEL INJECTION CLEANING SERVICE.
Solomon's Garage
Owners
Dave & Katie Neer
Business Phone Number
937-887-0029
dnkneer@gmail.com
Business Address
122 S. Detroit St., Box 607
West Liberty, Ohio 43357
Website
www.solomonsgarage.com
1. When did your business open?
January 2012
2. How many employees are there at your business?
5-6
3. How did you start your business?
Dave worked as a certified master technician at a BMW dealership in Indianapolis for 10 years but always wanted to open his own shop. In 2011, we had the opportunity to move "home" and rent a space in the Neer family farm machinery shed from Dave's parents to start our business. After selling our home in a down market, we walked away with very little capital to start our business and Katie was staying home with our then 15 month old son, Levi. Dave started that winter of 2012 in an unheated shop, wearing coveralls and crawling around underneath vehicles, taking breaks to warm up his frozen hands so he could work. He jokes that he literally started "from a scratch". In 2015, we were running out of space there, and found out that our new location was coming up for sale just a few miles from home. We were fortunate enough to be able to purchase our building from Michael Hostetler in the spring of 2016.
4. Why did you start your business?
Dave has truly been blessed with a gift and a love for working on cars. He has had the opportunity to receive the highest levels of training available in his field, and his skills have yielded him regional and national recognition. Still, Dave wanted nothing more than to share his knowledge and experience with his hometown. (We both graduated from WL-S in 2000.) Today, we both find it incredibly rewarding to work in a small town where we can truly get to know our customers and make a difference in their quality of life.
5. How did your business get its name?
King Solomon is known as the wisest man who ever lived. In the BIble, it is noted that he said "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." This has been Dave's motto throughout his career, so he decided to name his business after the man who spoke those words.
6. What’s something unique about your business that customers might not know?
We service all makes and models of vehicles, but especially Europeans and other imports. We tackle everything, even the "hard stuff" like electrical diagnostics. Those challenges are what make us tick!
7. Why did you choose West Liberty for the location of your business?
We had a young son at the time we started our business, and having both grown up in this community, we wanted to move back to raise our kids here by their grandparents, Phil (and the late Shan) Neer and Sam and Jeanie Crabtree.
8. What’s your favorite local area event?
The Labor Day Festival!
9. Why are you a member of the West Liberty Business Association?
Katie has been involved as the secretary of the West Liberty Business Association for the last 4 years because she feels strongly that West Liberty once was and currently has much potential as a thriving tourism destination. Katie has been working with local business owners to boost our local economy, especially in the area of tourism.
10. How do you use MyWestLiberty.com?
To look up local business contact info and to get info on local events, and to advertise our own business.
11. Where are your favorite places to #ShopLocal?
ALL OF THEM! We love grabbing a coffee and pastry at Sweetie Pie's. We exclusively grocery shop at Thoman's IGA. You can't beat the waffle cones at the Ice Cream Parlor or the candy at Marie's. We also like to eat out at Mad River Farm Market, Liberty Gathering Place, Michael's Pizza, and Plank's Pizza. We also like getting home decor from Kara Lynn's, Highland Country Store and HIdden Treasures. We are so thankful to have a nice Shell station in our town. Professionally, we couldn't live without the supportive network of Rabenstein Electric, Hughes Plumbing, Berry Digital Solutions, A Needle Pulling Thread, Yoder Concrete, Holdren's Metal (they fabricated all our stainless steel counter tops at the shop), West Liberty Building and Supply and Stidham's Roofing and Painting. When you sit down and think of all the thriving businesses we have locally, there is almost never a reason to send our money out of town!
12. Do you have any upcoming promotions, events, sales or anything else you would like to add?
This month we are offering $10 OFF a POWER STEERING FLUSH or FUEL INJECTION CLEANING SERVICE.
