After 42 years, Hershberger hangs up his wrench
After 42 years Marty Hershberger has decided to put down the wrenches and leave the auto-repair business that has been a fixture in downtown Shreve.
Before he could drive, Marty Hershberger was pumping gas and washing windshields at his uncle’s gas station.
By the time he was 24, he owned the place.
His uncle, Merv Hershberger, had given him more and more responsibility until it made sense for him to replace his uncle when he wanted to move on to other business ventures.
Remembering the April 1, 1978 sale date, Marty Hershberger said, “I always thought April Fool’s Day was a very appropriate time to go into business.”
Now, 42 years later — no fooling — Marty Hershberger has decided to put down the wrenches and leave the auto-repair business. (He had the gas pumps removed shortly after he bought it.)
In December he sold Shreve Mobil to Matt Fleming, a graduate of West Holmes High School and Auto Diesel College in Nashville, Tennessee. Fleming will operate the shop as Shreve Auto Repair.
“I never thought I’d be a business owner,” Fleming said, but this opportunity came along at the right time.
Hershberger said he’s confident the shop is in capable hands.
A community fixture, Hershberger leaves behind a loyal customer base and a shop known to a group of locals as a friendly place to grab a cup of coffee.
David Miller of Shreve said three generations of his family — including his three sons and two daughters and his late father John — have taken their vehicles to be serviced at Shreve Mobil.
“We’re going to miss Marty; I’m pretty sure of that,” Miller said. “He was always dependable, and he stood behind his work. If something didn’t work quite right after he’d had it, you could take it back and he’d make it right. He was always fair that way.”
Hershberger said he always strived to be honest with his customers. “If a mistake was made in a diagnosis, I’d own up to it and take care of the problem,” he said.
In the case of a difficult diagnosis, Hershberger subscribed to an online service where he could research and consult with other technicians. “It’s a myth that the customer is always right,” he said, “but they are always the customer.”
Hershberger said he made sure to answer the phone with a smile and greet every customer that walked in the door with a smile, no matter what difficulties he may have been facing that day.
Hershberger said as the sole owner and operator he was afforded the opportunity to bring his three children — Aaron, Amy and Seth — to work with him during their younger years. He also could close the business to attend their events and activities.
Soon after purchasing Shreve Mobil, Hershberger said he heeded the advice of then-business owners Bill Fought and Ralph Edington to involve himself in community groups. He’s been active in Lions Club, Triway Athletic Boosters, and the Shreve Business and Community Association. He currently serves as the business association’s president and plays a major role in the group’s fundraising as chairman of the Wayne County Fair chicken barbecue.
Funds raised at the barbecue help support Shreve projects such as the fireworks, Migration Sensation, Support Our Troops, Swampfest and purchases at the Wayne County Junior Fair Livestock Sale.
Since the mid-1990s Hershberger also has been cooking the fair-style chicken on his own at Shreve Mobil for fundraisers and parties. Terms of the sale of the business allow him to continue cooking the chicken there for 10 years.
“He’s made a lot of contributions to Shreve and the surrounding communities,” said Linda Repp, a Shreve Business and Community Association member. “He’s always played an integral part in all things we’ve done and been very supportive of projects we’ve undertaken. He’s done that as an individual as well. He’s a very giving person.”
Hershberger also is a charter member of the Shreve Emergency Medical Services and served for 20 years as a Clinton Township firefighter.
Hershberger's routine of opening his shop early in the morning and offering 10-cents-a-cup coffee over the years attracted a group of local men who gather at the shop before work. “They’ll show up about 6 [a.m.], grab a cup of coffee, say ‘hi’ and go on their way,” he said during his last month at the shop. “The last one leaves about 7 [a.m.]”
“It’s a good way to start the morning off,” said Brad Johnson, one of the regulars who stops for coffee before heading to his job at Beaver Meats in Smithville. “It’s become a routine to catch up on the news in town and around the area.”
Hershberger, who stayed through the month of January to help with the transition of the business, now includes himself in the coffee clan. He stops at Shreve Auto Repair for coffee before driving his bus route for Triway Local Schools. “I guess I’m an official member now that I don’t have to worry about the other work in the shop,” he said.
Hershberger said he appreciates the loyalty shown to him at Shreve Mobil over the years. He said while he will miss seeing his customers, he looks forward to spending more time with his grown children and their families, including 10 grandchildren, and traveling with his wife Janet.