Jim Young, 94, with the trophies for his Bay View business winning the Mobil Service Station of the Year. Photo / Jack Riddell
Jim Young, 94, with the trophies for his Bay View business winning the Mobil Service Station of the Year. Photo / Jack Riddell
A Napier business stalwart celebrated winning his third service station of the year award one day before his 94th birthday.
Opened in 1957, J Young Motors in Bay View has been named Mobil Service Station of the Year for the third time in 68 years of servicing motorists coming toand from Hawke’s Bay.
Business founder Jim Young, who turned 94 on Saturday, started the business with one mechanic and one pump on the forecourt.
He credits his staff and customers for the company’s success.
“We’ve had our hard times, of course, but I was young when I was just starting off, and it’s something different for a Chinese mechanic to start a garage.
“I think it has its rewards, but the one thing about it, we are very, very humble and we do our best.”
Ashley (left) and Teresa Young with their father Jim as they celebrate the family business being named the Mobil Service Station of the Year. Photo / Jack Riddell
Now the business is run with the help of Young’s son Ashley and features a team of 30 staff. It offers car and truck repairs, parts and warrants of fitness, and features four pumps and a well-stocked Mobil service station.
“You do your best while you can and the reward you get is from customers saying thank you, you did a good job,” Young said.
“Now that’s the best reward I can think of for any business, to be appreciated by your customers.
“I do feel proud, not for myself but for all the staff because they’re the ones that do the work. You can tell them what you want them to do and how to do it, but they are the ones that should be rewarded. I’m very happy and very proud of my staff here.”
Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and spent the last 15 years working in radio and media in Auckland, London, Berlin and Napier. He reports on all stories relevant to residents of the region.
