Leavenworth mechanics build community trust with honesty and commitment

LEAVENWORTH – Tucked along East Leavenworth Road, a small mechanic shop hides behind a lot packed full of cars belonging to local residents and stranded visitors, waiting to be fixed. Yet, the waiting list is not a result of low productivity, but a symbol of Icicle Valley Automotive’s commitment to their customers.

“Me and Roberto put ourselves in their shoes. If we were to break down somewhere, we would want somebody to help us so we can make it back home,” said co-owner Jesus Herrera.

While some shops turn away customers if they are not on the appointment schedule, owners Roberto Granados and Jesus Herrera have a hard time saying “no,” even if it means longer hours and busier workdays for them. When one job is complete, they are helping the next customer, whether it’s a local with an urgent repair, a stranded visitor, or an untraditional vehicle. If they aren’t able to do it, they have a list of recommendations ready.

“If you're a person that's always giving the honest prices and stuff, and you're always here, people know there's a place they come to and somebody's going to get help all the time,” said Herrera. “That's the key…being willing to help anybody who comes in.”

Their dedication has defined their business since they took over Icicle Valley Automotive in 2022. As the only two mechanics with an inherited customer base the first year, Herrera and Granados worked seven days a week to keep up, while also juggling the roles of new business owners.

“When a vehicle comes in here not working and on a tow truck, and it leaves running out of the shop, I mean, that feels good for us. And in this job, you're always learning something…That's what kind of keeps us going forward,” said Herrera.

While owning a business was a new venture for the both of them, Herrera and Granados both had decades of mechanic experience combined. When they met, Herrera was delivering auto parts to the shop where Granados was working as the head diesel technician, and was quick to recognize Granados’s level of expertise and skill. When Herrera started at Icicle with the plan to take over from the now-retired Tim Conkling, he proposed the idea to Granados.

“I told [Granados], ‘You know what? I think we need to come together and work as business partners and make this work, because nowadays you need people with commitment.’ And I think between me and him, we just got the commitment,” said Herrera.

“He told me he worked at another shop for years, and talking to other friends, they told me he was an honest person and hard worker,” added Granados.

While the first year was the most challenging, they eventually found their flow. Their customer base has grown with customers coming in from Plain and Cashmere, and they’ve hired two more mechanics: Donato “Nato” Medina and Granados’s son, Alex.

“We go pick up parts for some customers sometimes over in Seattle, and so we leave [Donato and Alex] here, and they hold the fort down for us, and they do a good job. That's what success is, when you have your crew, and you always move as one,” said Herrera.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media