Author: Benilde Santos, BSU student
An interview with owner George Vellensaros
Q – Are you from this area?
A- I can say yes, I have been in this area of Brockton most of my life.
Q- What is the name of your company?
A – It’s called Forest Ave Auto Repair.
Q- Tell me about your business and why you choose it?
A- I work all my life as a mechanic and wasn’t appreciated by my bosses they don’t appreciate good help. I eventually found a place and start working for myself. Found this place and here I am 25 years later.
Q- You already said why you choose this business….
A – Yeah, I like to work with my hands and it’s a good business, hard business something new every day is nothing magnanimous about it.
Q- What year did you start it?
A- huh, I been working as a mechanic since 1982 my own place started in 1985.
Q- what inspired you to go into your own business?
A- To provide better for my family, to make some money.
Q- What was the toughest thing to do especially in the beginning of your business?
A- Oh my god, huh the toughest part was raising the money to buy the place after that so long I had the place you start to grow little by little. You start with the medium then as weeks and months progress you buy more equipment more tools as business grows.
Q- For what you have learned if you had to do over again what would you had changed?
A – Huh, what would I do different, I don’t know think I would change it, I don’t think is anything I would change it. I gave people its money worth, I fixed their vehicle, they are happy, I am comparative on prices, I offer good guarantees, and people trust me, so we can’t ask for anything else. Completely trust with customers that is the main thing.
Q- Comparing with prior years what is best for 2020, what is the best happening in 2020?
A – For 2020, it’s these crazy fees, liabilities, insurance it keeps going up and up and unfortunately, I have to go up on my prices too, the cost of living goes up, every few years you have to medium charge.
Q- Is the Local State or Federal government helping if so, what you feel they are helping you with?
A- No they don’t help in any way they just want your money that’s all they want, they revenue.
Q- If customers would choose between three businesses why you feel they should choose you?
A – From what I have been hearing, just for my honesty and word of mouth from previous customers. They like my work, the quality of work and they tell other people.
Q – Do you use social media to promote your company?
A – I do not other then be in Yelp from what I can see and all the good reviews I am getting. People tell me they just look me up and they so the good reviews and that is why they are calling me.
Q – And the reason is because you don’t have the experience or just because you feel that words of mouth is enough to…
A – I think word of mouth is good enough if I had to compete with other businesses close by probably it would be different, but I am in an area by myself where I feel comfortable that my competition is far away even though is only a mile down the road each way to me it gives me my freedom.
Q- Where do you see your business in month or year from now?
A – Ha hopefully doing better, it has been tough probably the last 5 6 years revenues rate is going up your profit is going down so if somehow, we change it to bring the profit back up to be a profitable because now I am breaking even.
Q – What is driving you that motivates you to keep going?
A – Money is number one huh want to have a good life the harder you work it usually means you have a better life.
Q – Last question. Do you plan to past your business to your children?
A – I hope so I really hope so. Everybody loves my son; my son is working with me this is just a father and son team everybody loves my boy they don’t leave unless they say goodbye to him. Trying to teach him all I know hopefully in few years he will take over.
Visit Forest Ave Auto Repair at 210 Forest Ave., Brockton, MA
Telephone: 1-508-586-0050