About Ernie’s Service Center
Ernie's Service Center has meant quality automotive care to the greater Santa Cruz County area since 1971. Ernie Devonshire Jr. was high honors graduate in multiple courses in the U.S. Army as a wheeled vehicle mechanic. In doing such, he was offered a lease from the Atlantic Richfield Oil Company for an ARCO service station in Felton. He became the youngest ARCO dealer on the west coast at age 20. During the Arab oil embargo of 1973-1974, Ernie wisely rationed his gas, maintaining a steady fuel flow to the San Lorenzo Valley residents. After his daily rations had been depleted, keeping his customers' needs a priority, Ernie kept his station open by focusing his business on being a complete automotive repair and service facility.
As the business continued to grow, Ernie partnered up with his dad Ernie Sr. in 1975. They expanded the business to include a second ARCO station in Ben Lomond. However, due to service limitations by the Atlantic Richfield Company, Ernie and his dad opted to branch out and build their automotive repair center to serve their customers' needs better. Ernie and his dad pulled their assets together and purchased the lot on the corner of Mount Hermon Rd. and Graham Hill Rd. in the Felton Fair Shopping Center.
Building permits were granted, and in 1978 Ernie's was officially underway. Ernie's dedication to customer and employee satisfaction, tedious attention to detail, hands-on approach, and ability to stand firmly behind all the work done under his supervision led to a more agreeable business that the San Lorenzo Valley prided itself on. More and more people started to notice the care, commitment, and effective service that Ernie's continued to provide a year in and year out. Over time Ernie's has worked to become a shop that consistently exceeds the highest standards set by the industry.
After 17 years of dedicated service to the business, in 1992, Ernie Sr. was bitten by the travel bug and decided it was time to retire. Ernie Jr. wished his dad a happy retirement and welcomed his oldest son Ryan aboard as a new employee the following year. Ryan has worked diligently in all phases of the business, listening and learning, acquiring the skills necessary to share the responsibilities and become a partner \ owner of Ernie's Service Center. In 2003, a new partnership was formed between Ernie and Ryan. Ryan has brought to this partnership a new perspective with launching the website. He is an ASE Certified Master Technician and has elevated Ernie's Service Center to the next level.
The newest member of our team is Josh, Ernie's youngest son. Josh joined our Service Department in 2014, greeting customers, initiating work orders, scheduling appointments, and working closely with our technicians to ensure customer satisfaction. While in high school, Josh worked in our shop but branched off on his own to pursue a successful career as a building contractor. With retirement age sneaking up on Ernie (really!), the thought of having both sons on board to carry on the family-owned and operated business was ideal.
Today, Ernie, Ryan, and Josh, along with our dedicated staff, continue to maintain the high standards of quality and dependable service that have always been a part of the name Ernie's.
