By Edmee CR Hasler
After over four decades of dedicated service, Greg Doyle has retired from the family-owned repair shop that has been a staple in the community since 1962. Doyle, who took over the business from his parents, Fred Jr., and Mildred, and ran it for 44 years, is stepping back due to declining health. His sister, Debbie, speaking on his behalf, shares the story of the shop’s legacy and the emotional decision to sell the property.
Doyle, who has had difficulty with speech since suffering a stroke earlier this year, began working at the shop in 1980, right after high school. “He worked part-time before graduating and has done everything from billing to repairs since then,” Debra said, smiling. “People used to come by just to hang out here—it wasn’t just a shop, it was part of the community.”
The business, founded by their father, Fred Jr., a 12-year Marine Corps veteran, started as a general repair shop in North Carolina before moving to Salem. The Doyles purchased the property in 1962, and the business quickly became a local fixture, with customers regularly filling the parking lot and sometimes spilling over into the streets. Fred Jr.’s wife, Mildred, also worked at the shop helping out in the office. The Doyle children: Robert, Brenda, Debbie, Butch and Greg were always hanging out at the shop as well. “My parents worked seven days a week,” Debbie recalls, emphasizing the family’s deep commitment.
Doyle officially took over the business when his father’s health declined, running it with the same tireless dedication. He often worked late into the night, especially during the hot summer months when the heat made it impossible to work during the day. However, as the years went by, the physical toll of the long hours began to catch up with him.
“He wants to retire now and build himself a little garage to piddle around at home,” Debbie said with a bittersweet tone. The shop, filled with decades of memories and tools dating back to the 1960s, took over a year to clean out. “There’s 60 years worth of tools and equipment,” Debbie added. “It’s been hard letting go.”
The shop specialized in heating, air conditioning, and radiator work, evolving as technology changed. Doyle’s mechanical expertise, honed over years of hands-on work, became widely respected. “He’s helped customers with everything from cars to tractors, even mobile homes,” Debra said proudly. “People would come from far and wide, and they still knock on the door, asking if he’s going to keep working after retirement.”
Despite Doyle’s reluctance to leave the work he loves, his health challenges—compounded by a heart problem and stroke—made the decision clear. Debbie explained that while Doyle hopes to stay connected with lifelong friends, the time has come to close the shop. “We know it’s time to let go, but it’s emotional,” she said. The family is now searching for a new owner to continue the business at its prime location on Salem’s busy truck route.
As Doyle steps away from the business that has been his life’s work, the community mourns the loss of a local institution. “We’ve had customers ask where they’ll take their cars now,” Debbie said, reflecting on the shop’s deep roots in Salem. “The small repair places are disappearing, and everything’s computerized now.”
While the future of the business is uncertain, one thing is clear: Doyle’s legacy of hard work, community connection, and dedication will not be forgotten. As the family prepares to say goodbye to the shop, they hope to celebrate its history with a final tribute—perhaps even a shop shirt or two, crafted by Greg’s niece, for the customers who have been loyal over the decades.
In the words of Debra, “It’s really hard giving it up, but it’s something we know we need to do.”
