Rollins closes auto repair business

"It's been a good journey," said Steve Rollins after closing a business that has been a part of the Sisters community for more than 35 years.

"Times are hard," he said, "and I'm not getting any younger."

The prospect of turning 60 soon seems to have also played a role in Rollins' decision to bring down the curtain on a career he began when he was in his 20s.

Rollins started his car repair shop back in the 1970s where Sisters Feed & Supply is now and later in the old Texaco gas station on Cascade Avenue, itself now long gone. For the first 15 years he moved to various locations around town until settling into his own shop in the Sisters Industrial Park on Sisters Park Drive.

"Yeah, well, I'd like to let people know that I've appreciated their business over the years," he said. Then, in his trademark deadpan drawl he added, "...and that I'm still a little crazy." Then, he was serious for a moment and said, "I appreciate you coming out here to talk to me so I can thank people for their business. That means a lot to me."

Rollins is one of those guys who always had a hard time saying "no" when someone showed up at the last minute with a car problem. That is one part of the job he won't miss.

"Yeah, somebody was always breaking down and getting marooned at five to five on Friday afternoon," he said. "I didn't need a watch on Fridays, that was always when they showed up."

He said he can't even count the times he had whole families camped out under the trees at his old shop, waiting while he worked overtime to get them back on the road.

He acknowledged that the state of the economy was a factor in his decision to close up shop, but mostly he just felt that it was "time." He shrugged and added, "Besides, half my customers have died off on me, anyhow. Maybe I can find some time now to get myself a life."

He has a lot of stories from over the years. Hundreds, he says.

"There was this one time, though, when this old logger came in with his truck. He couldn't hardly hear at all, and he said he thought his lifters needed adjusting," Rollins recalls. "So, I told him to fire it up so I could listen to it. Well he cranked it up and a piston came flying out and nearly hit me.

"I told him, 'Let's not worry about the lifters. You need to do something about all that oil coming out of the block where that piston came through.' That logger's hearing was so bad that all that horrible clanking just sounded to him like a little lifter noise."

Rollins is still trying to get used to the idea that his shop is really closed. Reality set in last week, though, when he signed the papers leasing his shop to Metolius Woodworks.

"They're some real nice guys. I've known them for awhile. I lucked out to get people like them," he said. "I let them get in there early and they've already started painting and fixing the place up. They make cabinets, furniture and stuff."

So, now his old shop has a hand-lettered sign out front that says, "Thank you for 35 great years." Rollins thinks it will take some time to get reorganized at home, where he has built a scaled-down shop next to his house.

"I'm still in the process of moving," he said. "You wouldn't believe all the stuff I've got. I've already got rid of 90 percent of it, and I need to get rid of 90 percent of what's left."

What he has in mind is sort of a semi-retirement. He plans to do a little tinkering yet.

"At least now, I won't have to take every job that comes along. I can pick and choose what I want to do," he said.

"I still have the same phone number," he said, "If someone calls I try to do what I can to help them out."

For the most part, though, he has been referring customers to his Industrial Park friends and neighbors Tommy Simpson of Three Sisters Automotive, Tom Van Handel of Van Handel Automotive, and also to his son, Jeremy Rollins.

"Those guys all do good work and are straight shooters. Of course, both Jeremy and Tommy worked for me a number of years."

Rollins says there is one thing about his future that is for certain: He plans to spend a lot more of his time fishing and hunting.

"Yeah, well, if I'm not here, maybe you can find me out at Suttle Lake," he said. "Don't you think those browns ought to be biting about now?"