Editor’s Note:The Chronicle is working to assist local businesses suffering from the effects of the COVID-19 virus spread and associated government orders to close or limit commerce. There will be a feature on a local business in each edition of The Chronicle and at chronline.com moving forward. To be considered, email reporter Eric Trent at etrent@chronline.com. Additionally, The Chronicle will continue to offer its coverage of the coronavirus and its effects across the community, state and nation free outside of our paywall at chronline.com.
When Ernie Schmitt started Ernie’s Rapid Lube in 1983, it was Lewis County’s first quick lube. Thirty-seven years later, Schmitt’s wife, Deanna Schmitt, and son, Glen Schmitt are keeping his legacy alive.
The shop started on Kresky Avenue, where Fred’s Discount Tire and Carwash sits now. Ernie had previously owned several gas stations, was a service manager at a couple local car dealerships and always wanted a one-stop shop where people could come in and get a spark plug or a pair of brake pads, something he could fix right away and not tie their cars up.
He carried that old-fashioned gas station feel to his lube shop, putting customer service above all else.
In 1992, Ernie’s Rapid Lube moved to 2615 NE Kresky Ave, where it’s been ever since. Ernie passed away in 2017, but Deanna still owns it and Glen runs the day-to-day operations as the manager.
Glen never planned to run the family business, instead electing to go to college to forge his own career as a real estate appraiser. But in 2009, on the heels of the housing bubble burst, Ernie began to have health issues. So Glen left the real estate market to help his dad run the day-to-day operations. By 2013, Ernie retired after 56 years in the automotive business in the Twin Cities and Glen joined the shop full time to operate the business.
“It wasn’t really my plan,” Glen said. “It just sort of happened that way. But it was too good of a business and had too good of clientele. He built this business from the ground. It was always to keep his legacy alive.”
It’s still a family business. Glen’s son, Kyle Schmitt, and daughter, Lindsay Schmit, also work there. Kyle works in the shop while Lindsay does the administrative work and payroll.
The shop has done actually quite well since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March. Though automotive repair businesses were deemed essential by the state, the Schmitts were forced to close for about a six-week period, from March 24 to May 4, in order to buy masks for the employees and gather cleaning supplies, both of which were in high demand at the time.
There have been some ups and downs since then, but Glen said the shop has such a loyal customer base that they’ve been able to stay afloat. When the shop was briefly closed, Glen would be working on maintenance stuff and customers would stop by and ask when they were opening back up. They were busy right out of the gate after opening the doors again.
“That meant a lot to us that the customers were willing to come back and were waiting for us to open back up,” Glen said. “They felt comfortable coming here.”
The shop has also been able to keep the same amount of employees working now as it did before the pandemic hit. There have been no layoffs.
“That was a big thing, making sure my guys were taken care of,” Glen said. “They are rock stars, as far as customer service. They work hard and do a good job. I’m very pleased with the guys I work with. They’re like family.”
Customers are asked to wear a mask and stay in their car, driving it into the repair bay while three employees, all donning masks, work quickly and even crack jokes with the customers.
“The massive bulk of our customers have been awesome,” Glen said. “They understand we’re having to do certain things differently and there’s some rules people don’t like, but in the whole scene of things, we’re just trying to protect customers and we hope they’re trying to protect us.”
Ernie’s Rapid Lube offers oil changes, minor automotive repair, such as tuneups, brakes, transmission and coolant flushes, and even service gearboxes. Pretty much anything that doesn’t involve rebuilding engines or transmissions. None of the big stuff. They stick to jobs that are one-day or overnight jobs.
Ernie’s family have carried his legacy and mindset with them at the business since he passed away, always striving to get things done quickly and right. Time is money for most people, Glen said, and the shop tries to get customers back on the road as fast as possible. If they can handle a job right away, they’ll do it right way.
“That’s the goal, try to not hang people up and be fair with pricing,” Glen said. “My dad was a very honest person and very trustworthy. We’re not a chain oil place, just your local small-town shop.”
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Reporter Eric Trent can be reached at etrent@chronline.com. Visit chronline.com/business for more coverage of local businesses.
