Our Family Automobile History

My grandfather, Bill Stokes moved to the West LA area from San Francisco in the early 1920s. He was following a professional golfer at the time as his personal golf caddy. Grandpa Bill Stokes ended up working at the Los Angeles country club. After the great depression my grandfather Bill found work in a gas station, eventually he saved enough money to get his own gas station on Pontius and Idaho in West Los Angeles. Grandpa Bill then moved to a different location just south of Santa Monica Blvd. on Sawtelle Blvd. My father Jack Stokes worked for my grandfather after school each day, learning the automotive business and gaining valuable experience. My dad, like my grandfather Bill, eventually owned his own stations. The first was an Atlantic Richfield station; located at Berkeley and Santa Monica Blvd. (Great photo in our store). The second was a station across from the MGM studios in the Culver City area. My father then leased another Atlantic Richfield station, this was on the corner of Colby and Olympic. Following that move, he relocated again to a Mobil Station at 10th and Wilshire in 1966.

Now I come into the picture, working for my dad in the summer months cleaning windshields and learning to check under the hood and putting air in the customers' tires. I filled many batteries with acid back in the day for sale, and of course pumped gas. Even then I was all about customer service. I remember the old days as being very fun. I was allowed to keep the tips from customers Wow! For a ten-year-old boy, this was big stuff. Getting to work with your Dad was even better. About ten years later General Tire had a retail store where we are today. They were looking to get out of the retail tire business, and just stick to manufacturing tires. They approached my father with an offer and my father accepted! This was in early 1976. My Father Jack, in 1978 convinced me at 19 years of age to work here for just one summer, while my dad did some rehiring of the needed additional staff.

Well, over 40 years later I am still here. The tire business has been kind to my family as a whole. I Jon Stokes purchased the property this store is on when I was twenty nine years old. Scared to death of the large mortgage payment, I put my head down to work, and never looked back. With good choices, I have managed to attract fantastic help from all departments. I am very pleased. Today, over 40 years later I believe we are the best team in the tire business. A third generation store owner with a ton of experience, a wonderful manager, Jack Martz, and a sales team who really care about you the customer! A sales team that is friendly, and caring, with years of experience, mechanics, that keep us going with pride and a install team second to none! Simply put, this store rocks! Today I am very proud of all of our stores accomplishments. Please drop in and see us! My promise to you is "We" will do you right!

Sincerely,
Jon Stokes