50 years of service for Bob Reed’s Auto Service of San Mateo

Reed took over the auto repair and gas station at 1641 Palm Ave. in 1973 and has built a legacy spanning decades. Reed has dedicated his time and efforts to providing a neighborhood station for everyone. His drive to continue comes from connecting and talking with customers and local neighbors. The shop primarily focuses on tire service and brakes, and his day is often busy with maintenance, tire deliveries and helping customers. He grew up in gas stations all his life and finds there is still plenty of work for him now.

“I don’t know anything else but this. I’m not good at plumbing or carpentry, but I’m good here,” Reed said.

As a kid, Reed came to San Mateo from Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 1948, located at the Nebraska-Iowa border and within the Omaha, Nebraska, metropolitan area. Reed grew up working in gas stations in the area and as a mechanic, often working out of his car doing jobs for customers. In between racing boats and motorcycles, he took over his first gas station on Fourth Avenue and Delaware Street in December 1966 and stayed for seven years. In 1968, when San Mateo police Sgt. Gordon Joinville was shot and killed at Fifth Avenue and Claremont Street, Reed found Joinville and called on the dispatch radio for help.

Since he arrived in San Mateo, he and his family have made the Hayward Park neighborhood their home. His father owned a cafe on South Boulevard, not too far away from the station. Next door is the All Star Awards trophy store, which his brother owns. Reed also lives just a few houses down from the store, allowing him to come to work quickly. His son Jim is one of the primary workers at the shop and started when he was 11 and will take over when Reed can’t run the shop anymore. His wife, Randy Reed, who has a degree in accounting from San Jose State University, does the finances and management. One of their walls is devoted to pictures of his two children and five grandchildren. Many of his grandchildren hung out in the station while growing up, and he enjoys having Jim working with him and inheriting the family business. The store also gives him a place to repair and store boats and cars that he races.

“I love this place. It’s like my home,” Reed said of the station.

Randy Reed, who has been married to Bob for 53 years, said while running the station full time is a challenge, Bob still likes helping his customers.

“He still likes to give service. If somebody comes in and needs air in their tires, he will go out and do that,” Randy Reed said.

While gas in the six and seven-dollar-gallon range is the highest Reed has ever seen, the most difficult times occurred during the 1973 oil crisis when the store first started. The crisis happened due to an embargo against the United States and other western countries for supporting Israel during the Yom Kippur War by several Arab nations. The ban on petroleum exports dramatically increased oil prices and availability, resulting in scarcities unseen before. Cars could only fuel up on certain days, and there was not enough fuel for everyone despite the cars waiting down the block, and the station could only pump 500 gallons a day. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake caused damage and required improvements. He and Randy stayed home during the pandemic for about three months, when business slowed down, but service and gas demands are back to pre-pandemic levels, and he is eager to continue work.

Thomas Sanfilippo, who has visited the station for over 20 years, lives in the neighborhood and knows he can drop the car off and come by a few hours later when done, getting service he can’t find elsewhere. He praised Reed for building a strong neighborhood business because of his attitude and professionalism.

“I like doing business with local people, and Bob’s a great guy,” Sanfilippo said. “He’s always cordial and takes care of my car.”

curtis@smdailyjournal.com

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