Jay’s Garage Now Open

DAYTON - If you search online for "Jay's Garage" you'll find more information that you could possibly want about former Tonight Show host Jay Leno and his massive automobile collection. But in the Touchet Valley, Jay's Garage has become the go-to place for car and light truck repair, after only two months of existence. And there are no TV stars in sight.

Dayton resident Jay Ball opened his new shop at the Port of Columbia in early July. (It's in the former home of Hammerdown Fitness.) He's already taken on three employees, and the business can still barely keep up with demand.

Ball says the shop can handle anything from oil changes to replacement of engines and transmissions. They work on gas and diesel engines. "We've had a couple of Powerstroke Diesels in here recently," he said.

Jay's Garage has a contract to provide fleet service for Columbia County Transportation's cars, vans and buses. The shop also handles the Dayton School District's smaller vehicles. "We're hoping to expand our fleet business," Ball said.

When he opened in July, Ball hired Clara McQuary to help set up the business and run the office. He has since added two mechanics: Umberto Ramirez and Daniel Harrington. All three are Dayton natives who recently returned to town (see sidebar).

Ball has been a professional mechanic for more than 30 years, but this is his first time running his own shop. He says he has been thinking about it for years though.

He grew up in Akron, Ohio, which he pointed out has long been considered the "Tire Capital of the World." At one time, Akron was home to the corporate headquarters of Goodyear, Firestone, Goodrich and General Tire. Only Goodyear remains.

Ball said he developed an interest in cars at a very early age. "Some of the older kids in the neighborhood had hot rods, and I was drawn to that," he said. "I loved to read Hot Rod magazine." In high school he enrolled in a two-year automotive tech program and then got a job at a Goodyear Service Center in Akron.

Shortly after that, Ball attended Northwest Business College in Lima, Ohio, and completed an associate's degree in automotive and diesel technology. He returned to Akron, going to work for the local Lincoln Mercury Dealership.

In 1990, after Ball had married and started a family, they decided to move west. "The economy was struggling in Ohio," he said. "We decided it would be an adventure, and I had a trade where I could always find a job." After sending resumes to several Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealerships, he landed at a Ford dealer in Bellevue, Wash.

Ball pointed out one other important advantage to being an auto mechanic in the northwest. "Cars don't rust here," he said, like they do in the Midwest. "We laugh, but that's kind of a big deal. When you go to turn a bolt, it turns."

Ball worked at several (mostly Ford) dealerships in western Washington, eventually ending up in Bellingham. After his marriage ended, Ball's former wife moved to Walla Walla with their two children, so he followed in 2001. He settled nearby in Dayton, where he met Jennie Dickinson. They were married in 2006.

"I have to give a lot of credit to my wife," Ball said. "I couldn't have set up this shop without her strong support."

After his move to Dayton,

Ball started work as a fleet mechanic at Pacific Power in 2004, and later trained to be a journeyman estimator.

During his career working for Ford dealerships, Ball was certified as a Ford Master Technician. He also received his ASE Master Certification in Advanced Engine Performance.

Setting up the shop in Dayton, Ball invested in a wide range of modern equipment, including two hoists, state-of-theart engine diagnostic equipment, a front-end alignment rack and tire mounting and balancing machines.

"We've had a lot of requests for tires, so we're going to work on promoting them," Ball said. The shop offers tires from a wide range of manufacturers, and not only those from Akron.

Jay's Garage has also established a special arrangement with Columbia County Transportation to offer free rides to customers who leave their car at the shop. For more information, call the shop at (509) 382- 3078.