If you’re a regular at Central Avenue Automotive, then you’re familiar with Blake Walker. When you bring your car in, he’s the person who’s always there, managing the ebb and flow while making sure you’re getting the best possible service. But do you know his story?
Blake got started in the repair industry when he was only eight years old. His very first repair was a lawnmower that wouldn’t start, which started a lifelong passion for fixing things. From repairing his uncle’s broken snowmobile so he could go for a ride to improving the speed and functionality of cars in high school, Blake’s always been a sucker for figuring out how things tick and making them work even better.
After high school, he went to college for a few years. Turns out it wasn’t the right fit, since he wasn’t learning about his true passion – auto repair. Instead, he left university and headed to trade school in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He also attended diesel trade school in Montana before moving to Washington, where he still lives today.
All of this led up to his very first job at a Chevron station on the East Hill of Kent as a service technician. A few years in, he decided to gain more experience at an auto dealership, then with Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors. After working with so many major names and learning everything he could, it was time to make the leap to an independent shop in Seattle to figure out how the other side worked.
It didn’t take long for Blake to start wanting to make improvements. He wasn’t super excited about the way the cars and customers were being taken care of, but was met with resistance when he tried to implement a change. The idea of doing things the same way because that’s the way they’d been done for 20 years just wasn’t working for Blake, because he could see that it wasn’t good enough for the customer, or for himself. He decided to stay on for a few more years to get the full feel for the business and then decided to strike out on his own with full control.
And so, 16 years ago, Central Avenue Automotive was born. He started as the technician, as well as the service advisor and bookkeeper… everything, really. Customers and cars started rolling in, which eventually meant he had to choose what side he wanted to work and hire on some help. He chose the service side, working directly with customers and managing the mechanics to ensure repairs were always done correctly and the shop was putting out high-quality service.
Years went by and more customers came through the doors, more people began to staff the shop, and Blake became the person you know today – the shop manager who oversees operations and manages all five of Central Ave’s ASE master technicians.
And that’s his story! Now you know exactly who you’re dealing with when you come into the shop – someone with a serious passion for fixing cars who’s dedicated to creating the best possible customer experience.
