Aasby Automotive: Drive and Determination Fuel 36-Year Success

On March 1, 1983 Doug Aasby and his brother rented a two-bay gas station. “We pumped gas and fixed all the cars we could,” says Aasby. The two worked from seven in the morning until eleven at night, seven days a week. Aasby eventually bought his brother’s share to become sole proprietor.

While the original location was across the street, the shop moved into its current home, a repurposed gas station near the intersection of Glenstone and Grand, in 1989. Aasby purchased the property outright in 1990.

“If I have a secret to success, it’s my fear of failure,” says Aasby. “I’ve always had drive and determination.” Even though Doug worked hard to make sure Aasby Automotive was a success, he wishes he’d had a little more guidance when he first started out. “I would encourage anyone starting a business to get a little more coaching than I had,” he says. “I thought I knew it all.”

Aasby says long-term, loyal employees are also key to Aasby Automotive’s longevity. The shop sees very little turnover with Josh Govero marking his twentieth year and Mikey Dailey his nineteenth. Service Advisor Sarah Bock has been with Aasby for almost a decade. “I’ve got some good people,” says Aasby. “After my wife Susan, I really have to give all the credit to the employees. We do a good job fixing cars but we’ve survived on customer service and they’ve done well.”

Aasby stresses that ongoing training is an important part of being part of the team at Aasby Automotive and requires more than forty hours of training per year. All technicians are required to work toward their Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Master Technician certification. Aasby currently has three ASE certified technicians on staff.

• 1022 S Glenstone Ave Springfield, MO 65804
• aasbyautomotive.com
• (417) 865-2686