By: Tara Blue
It must be a “Jeep Thing,” because Randy’s Auto Repair is running 15 years strong on elbow grease and “Good Old’ Fashioned American Workmanship.” As a full-service automotive repair and sales shop, Randy’s Auto aims to treat customers like family, providing high quality service at an affordable price.

Although owners Randy and Nikki Newport did not grow up in Southern Boone, they consider it home. They currently reside in Hartsburg and have made many friends over the years that they consider family.

Randy grew up in New Jersey and came to Missouri in 1988 to attend school at Linn Tech. After years of working in the automotive industry for large corporate companies, Randy had the opportunity to open his own shop in Ashland. Randy says he is grateful to Allen Beckett who owned the shop building and gave him and his wife the opportunity to rent it until they were able to buy, and to Keith Winscott for selling them the adjoining property they needed to operate on the scale they desired.

In July 2009, the Newports opened for business at 500 S. Henry Clay Blvd. and they are appreciative of the community support which has sustained them through the years.

Nikki & Randy Newport with friend Larry Spaeth (center) in 2009

A Family Affair

Randy says that owning a business is important to the family; they love interacting with customers and keeping them rolling.

“We consider ‘Randy’s’ a family business. We have grown from supporting just our family to now supporting five. We are blessed to have two technicians working for us: Coty and Mike (Barney) are considered family to us as well as our youngest daughter Emily who runs the office.

Our girls went to school here and now one of our granddaughters. We love the small-town values and the ability to shop locally to support the people that support us. We believe in taking care of people the same way we want our family and friends to be taken care of.”

It’s a Jeep Thing

Randy is known around town as the “Jeep Guy,” as he has been Jeep’n for 30+ years, and often gets customers from all over the area to diagnose a Jeep issue. Although Randy’s Auto services vehicles of all type, Randy never misses a chance to hear or tell a Jeep story and is sought after by customers who value his expertise.

If you are already a Randy’s Auto customer, they thank you for your support. If you are not, they invite you to give them a try. The public is invited to the 15-year anniversary event at the shop on Saturday, August 17th from 4pm-8pm.

Stop in: 500 S. Henry Clay Blvd., Ashland
Call: 573-657-0078
Email: newportjeep@aol.com
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