New mechanic shop revved up for business

Everyone knows Sanders County is the last best place within Montana – the overall "last best place." So when it came time to decide where to setup shop, it was a no-brainer for mechanic Dan Whetzel.

"I lived in the Coeur d'Alene and Washington area for a long time and always knew about Thompson Falls. The North Idaho area was just getting too big," Whetzel said, noting that his visits here were always for leisure with long rounds of fishing. "I didn't know I'd be moving here at that time, but I'm glad I did."

Whetzel took over the building next to Pick-ups Plus off of Industrial Way just east of Thompson Falls. More exact, his shop is located at 219 Easy Street – which made coming up with a business name simple. Easy Street Auto Works is a full-service mechanic shop, also providing A/C work, auto computer diagnostics, wipers, tires, and alignments. The inviting waiting room and lobby looks empty, since snowfall has resulted in an influx of tire business leaving floor space where the tire inventory used to be.

"Things got pretty busy there when the snow started flying," Whetzel explained. He had been looking into taking on a U-Haul rental franchise, but the effort did not pan out.

While there is no shortage of good mechanics in the area, customers often note that most shops are packed to the gills with jobs – Whetzel is hoping to ease some of that workflow and gain the trust of locals.

"We keep things fair and consistent around here," Whetzel said, noting that his alignment specialist, Steve Cobb, also helps in other areas to keep customers moving through in a timely manner.

When he's not tinkering with customer vehicles, Whetzel spends time with his 15 year-old son who is attending Thompson Falls schools. Whetzel has also added hunting, camping and quads to his outdoor hobbies here – adding those to his longtime experiences fishing these parts.

Whetzel has been rubbing elbows with mechanics as long as he can remember. He gained most of his early experience working in his dad's shop in the 90's. The knowledge gained led him to working for himself fixing car problems regular folks run into, but also put time in with specialized vehicle mechanics, including racecars.

"It's just something I enjoy doing," Whetzel said. "Working on vehicles just came naturally, and I like helping people get back on the road or providing helpful advice to keep them there."

For more information about Easy Street Auto Works services, call 827-3808.