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Parkway Service and Repair a family business

Family is a big part of the story for Parkway Service and Repair. The current owners are Tammy Fredrickson and her brother Jason Michel.
Jason
Jason Michel, left, and Tammy Fredrickson have been the owners of Parkway Service and Repair since 2010. They bought the business from their father, Murray.

Family is a big part of the story for Parkway Service and Repair.

The current owners are Tammy Fredrickson and her brother Jason Michel. Their father, Murray Michel, owned the business for nearly a quarter of a century before selling it to them in 2010.

Fredrickson said Murray Michel came to work for the previous owner, Lawrence Bill and they became close friends.

“Lorne was like a father figure to my dad,” said Fredrickson. “He worked here for many years, and then my dad bought the business from him. My brother came to work for my dad many years ago. I think he worked for dad for 14 or 16 years before dad retired.”

The company, which is located at the intersection of Fifth Street and 12th Avenue, won the award for top general auto repair through Estevan Mercury Publications’ Reader’s Choice Best of Estevan Awards.

Fredrickson said it is a wonderful feeling to win an award through the Best of Estevan competition. It’s a testament to the staff, and to the customers, who have been very loyal and understanding.

“People call and ask us questions, and we do our best to get them all the answers we possibly can,” said Fredrickson. “Try to find them the best price, the quickest service possible, and do what we can to get them up and running, because we all know that we live by our vehicles.”

Parkway provides a number of services, including oil changes, preventative maintenance, towing, boosting, diagnostic work, suspensions, brakes and pretty much any kind of repair, other than transmissions, she said.

Fredrickson has been involved with the business for a decade, and says it’s the people that she enjoys the most.

“I’ve always been a people person,” said Fredrickson. “Customer service can be tough, but at the same time, it’s very rewarding.”

Owning a business has been a great experience. It’s a lot of hard work, because the hours can be irregular, and business owners will take work home with them, but it’s ultimately the people – both the employees and the staff members – who make the difference.

“We have customers who have been coming here for 50-plus years,” said Fredrickson. “They’re very loyal customers. We get new customers every day. They’re great people.”

Those long-time customers will tell her they knew her dad, and they knew Bill, and they appreciated the service they received.

“I think Jason and I, as we’ve grown up and gotten older … in Estevan, we know a lot of people, and those people rely on us for all their needs,” said Fredrickson.

Fredrickson believes the company’s success is due to the loyalty of the customers, and the strength of the staff.

“If you don’t have good employees, you don’t have a good business,” said Fredrickson. “They mean everything to your business. They’re loyal, reliable and trustworthy.”

Parkway currently has four employees.

Michel is the head mechanic and has long had an interest in the business.

“The people in town are pretty good to work for,” said Michel, who has been there for nearly 20 years. “I’ve been here for a lot of years. I enjoy being here and I like what I do.”

He is pleased that he and his sister have been able to purchase the business and keep it in the family.

His daughter has been working at the business already, and a young son wants to work there as well, meaning that Parkway could remain in the family for years to come.

Parkway purchases all of its products, parts, oils and other items used in repair from local vendors, after-market stores and dealerships. They shop locally at local businesses. And they enjoy donating to local organizations.