By Lee Wardlaw
lee@claytodayonline.com
Green COVE SPRINGS – The signal outdoors of Emmitt’s Auto Restore on U.S. Freeway 17 tells motorists the store is on holiday. The iconic auto mend shop specializing in brakes, steering and suspension set to reopen on Jan. 3.
But for the 1st time in 50 several years – 22 of them north of metropolis limits, it will be in the palms of a new operator.
Throughout a extra than fifty percent-century operate in Duval and Clay counties, Emmitt’s noticed a blessed time of company and loved ones-welcoming services to customers at the store, with the Rigsby’s setting up a business model like no other for the duration of their time in North Florida.
With Teresa Rigsby heading into retirement, she decided to change the business enterprise around to somebody else. Leaving a legacy that took generations to make, nevertheless, will not be effortless.
Following the passing of her spouse, Teresa not only had to operate the store’s funds but she was thrust into a common manager’s part, as effectively.
She now will wade by means of a working day-by-working day therapeutic system even though continuing to expend beneficial time with her grandchildren.
“One day at a time, and my grandkids,” she said.
It will be up to the new owner to preserve a normal that took a long time to create.
The reputation that founder Emmitt Rigsby, who then passed the torch to his son, Matthew, proven was that of tricky operate, toughness and a belief in finding the position finished at all expenses.
When mechanic Matthew Rigsby died on Aug. 3, 2020, the county not only misplaced a great mechanic but a much larger-than-everyday living determine in the group whose memory will without end be remembered.
He served as the lifeblood of the automobile restore shop his temperament shone via at all moments. He was good at fixing a vehicle, and irrespective of the situation, he usually was truthful about the position of their journey – all although discovering a way to make it possible for his basic-slash, and brutally genuine, persona to glow via.
“It was his way, or no way,” Teresa Rigsby, his late spouse, reported laughingly.
Hundreds of citizens Have walked within the doors of the car store. A single of the longtime customers has been the Clay County Sheriff’s Business office, which gets all of its routinely-scheduled alignments completed there.
Buyers arrived from all more than Florida and out of state, Teresa reported. Emmitt drew these kinds of a cult subsequent that a single resident who moved to Louisiana would make the excursion back again to have his motor vehicle serviced at Emmitt’s.
“Matt was pretty proficient. He knew anything likely on in that store. He touched each individual automobile and built confident it was ideal when it went out of the driveway,” she said. “(The local community) considered in him.”
People have trustworthy in Rigsby’s vehicle assistance, but it was a phenomenon that went considerably deeper than possessing a thoroughly clean established of wheels on the highway.
“My spouse was difficult, and he ran a limited ship. But all people arrived to him for advice, and anything that he claimed was like liquid gold. Customers would just arrive and pour out their hearts to him, and he would choose the time to converse to them. They would appear to him for everything, even loved ones troubles.
They appreciated his boldness. They knew wherever he stood, and they favored it,” Rigsby said.
New possession will have the profit of trying to keep two of Emmitt’s top mechanics. Guide technician Rick Santillo and mechanic John Holmes will be retained as the business moves into a new period of delivering fast, friendly and loyal shopper provider. Concerning the two, they have worked for far more than 37 several years at Emmitt’s.
Teresa claimed a single of the circumstances of the sale was every single of her entire-time personnel would be retained.
“I created confident that my guys had been guaranteed employment. And I assure you the (new owner) wanted them,” Teresa said. “I want all of my people to know that Rick and John will nonetheless be there. They have that amount of rely on in people guys.”
Teresa had a closing message for her family’s loyal shoppers, indicating:
“I just want to thank you on behalf of my father-in-legislation, husband and the entire spouse and children. I want to thank you for all of these a long time of coming to us. I just want to access out and contact them, and relieve their intellect. Give the other organization a probability considering the fact that my fellas are keeping there.”