Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – For 20 years, Jerry’s Auto Sales, Towing & Repair, now known as Jerry’s Auto & Cycle, has gone the extra mile to make motorists’ bad situations better.
“When I first started back on March 21, 1990, it was just towing,” said owner Jerry Palmer. “Over the years it’s grown to include automotive repairs, auto body repairs, auto sales and motorcycle sales. I got started with $40 in my pocket and my first car carrier. I figured if I could give better service than anyone else, I could make a go of it.
“If you like helping people, as I do, you’ll find lots of people who need a helping hand, whether it’s towing, lockout service, boosting or repairs. I find it’s nice to make a living doing something you love.”
The business first began with only a phone at the Palmers’ then-24 University St. residence in Presque Isle.
“My wife of nearly 40 years, Tammy, would call me and dispatch me from the house,” said Jerry. “I had one of the old bag phones then and she would call me whenever someone needed assistance. At that time, all we were doing was the towing.”
In 1995, the business moved to its first location – 236 Houlton Road – in what was referred to as the “cement block building.”
“I rented that for two years,” said Jerry. “I had two trucks on the road then – a 1-ton wrecker with a plow and a ramp truck. It was easier on the vehicles because I could keep them inside where it was dry.
“During that time, I moved back into the auto body business which I had done in this town pretty much all my life,” he said, noting that he used to take automotives at Presque Isle High School.
Jerry purchased the site of the current business – 78 Houlton Road – in 1997.
“When we started here,” he said, “we concentrated on selling sports cars. We had a big sign out front that said ‘Corvettes Plus.’ Since it’s hard to sell a sports car in the wintertime, we started selling regular used cars and trucks. Most of them we would bring in and refurbish so they would be inspectable and the customer could buy them and just drive off.
“In the summertime, the Corvette part of the business was awesome,” said Jerry. “I had everybody in the countryside coming here. In fact, the last Corvette I sold went to California. We got away from the Corvettes about three years ago.”
A 40-foot by 60-foot steel Quonset building was constructed in 1998 which currently houses the body shop complete with a downdraft paint booth.
In 2002, the new building in its current location was constructed. Two years later, the building was expanded on both sides to accommodate steady growth.
“We had sold our house on University Street and put a new home here, too,” Jerry said. “We now live on the premises.”
The body shop provides a full line of auto body services including glass replacement, collision and rust repair, and complete refinishing. The auto repair facility can handle everything from engine diagnostics, transmission and engine repair, custom exhaust building, brake turning and repair, and more.
“We have the equipment to do all the work in-house,” said Jerry. “Nothing needs to be sent out. This is all done in a competitive manner to better serve the customer.”
Jerry added motorcycles to the business offerings two years ago.
“I’ve had motorcycles my whole life,” he said. “I bought one and somebody came in one day and wanted to know if I wanted to sell it. I agreed and bought another one to ride and then somebody wanted to buy that. I figured I better get my dealer’s license and then started buying motorcycles. I refurbish them in the winter and sell them in the summer. We offer a full line of motorcycle repairs and state inspections.
“We picked up the Hyosung dealership last June,” said Jerry. “We’ve got the 2010s in now, and a couple 2009 holdovers. People think Hyosung is a new company, but they’re not. They’ve been in business since 1957. They’re an established company. In fact, the 2009 Aquila motorcycle is the world’s best-selling motorcycle as of July of last year. I have three of them here plus one Avitar.”
Jerry hadn’t given much thought as to how the business has evolved over the last 20 years until recently.
“About six months ago, my grandkids came into the office and stumbled onto a box of pictures. When they started spreading them out over the counter,” he said, “I was amazed at how the business has changed.”
Jerry’s presently features two flatbeds, two wreckers and two service trucks.
“We do lockouts, boosts, tows, flat tires, gas deliveries, and more,” he said. “Everything that has to do with a customer having an issue alongside the road, we take care of. That’s never changed … when that phone rings, we head out onto the road. The customer is the boss. If he says he’s in trouble, I need to get there. I started that philosophy 20 years ago, and it continues to be true today. If people call, we’ll be there to try to make their bad situation a little better.”
Jerry’s is the only towing service in Presque Isle contracted with AAA and Allstate.
Jerry’s Auto & Cycle is open from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. They can be reached by calling 764-4121 or 784-1881 or by e-mail at jerrystowing@ainop.com.
JERRY’S AUTO & CYCLE, formerly Jerry’s Auto Sales, Towing & Repair, is celebrating its 20th year of business in Presque Isle. What first started out as a towing service has since evolved to include automotive repairs, auto body repairs, auto sales, and motorcycle sales and service. Here, owner Jerry Palmer sits on one of the Hyosung motorcycles available at the 78 Houlton Road business as, from left: Tammy Palmer, office manager/dispatcher and Jerry’s wife, and Ryan Blanchard, service manager, look on.
