Blair Auto Service celebrating 75 years

Courtesy photo / Mechanic Kris Hoover works on a lawn and garden tractor at Blair Auto Service.
Blair Auto Service & Power Equipment started out in 1950 focusing on auto repairs. Seventy-five years later, the business on Route 36 south of Hollidaysburg has become a major outdoor power equipment sales and servicing dealer in central Pennsylvania.
John and Mable Werking founded the business in 1950 and was owned by Harry and Sarah Miller from 1985 to 2024, when Mike Schnarrs and his wife, Peggy Messner, purchased the business.
“I had an automotive background and was looking for my kids to get into business. I really thought the place had potential,” said Schnarrs, who has been manager of Stuckey Automotive Collision Center since 2017 and also worked for Courtesy Motors in the past. “My three kids (Broc, Tanner and Jordan) now work for me. I wanted them to learn the business.”
Today, Blair Auto offers full service auto repair for all types of cars, whether major or minor, including Pennsylvania State Inspections & Emissions, towing, air conditioning, engine rebuilding and electrical diagnosis.
As far as power equipment, major lines include Toro, Husqvarna, Simplicity, Gravely, Mahindra, Steiner, Echo and Dingo Sitework Systems. Products include tractors, lawn mowers, zero-turn riders, compact utility tractors, chainsaws and trimmers.
Blair Auto is the area’s only Toro Master Service Dealer, as well as being appointed a Kohler Expert Dealer, Briggs & Stratton Master Sales & Service Dealer, Tecumseh Premiere Dealer, and Ariens (Gravely) Master Dealer.
Today, the business has 10 full- and part-time employees.
The business started selling Toro garden tractors in the late 1980s and has grown over the years by adding more products and partnerships with manufacturers, Schnarrs said.
An expansion project in the 1990s more than doubled the size of the facility.
Scharrs said his customer base is residential and commercial customers, landscapers and commercial lawn guys.
“Most of our customers come from a 60- to 65-mile radius. We do get some people to call us from out of state that we ship to, as far away as West Virginia,” Schnarrs said.
Schnarrs said parts sales and service make up the majority of Blair Auto’s business today, but auto repairs still make up 25%-30% of his business.
“If we can’t do it, we will tell you,” Schnarrs said. “We are able to repair about 97 percent of the stuff that is brought in.
“I don’t turn anything away,” said head mechanic Kris Hoover, who has worked for Blair Auto for 21 years. “We have a lot of people who rely on us for our service. We have a lot of loyal customers.”
Schnarrs credits Hoover for a lot of the business’ success over the years.
“I’ve only been here for a year, having someone like Kris, he’s been a staple of the business, they couldn’t have done it without him,” Schnarrs said. “Kris knows the business so thoroughly, he doesn’t need the computer.”
Honesty and integrity has also been important.
“Honesty and integrity goes a long way. You need to keep customers happy, if they are not happy they won’t come back,” Schnarrs said. “We focus on testing the equipment before it leaves, we provide good customer service.”
Schnarrs is optimistic about the future of the business.
“We hope to grow and add more lines. We need to find people willing to buy from us and help us grow. We want to get more involved with the community,” Schnarrs said.
Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.