The check engine light for many local drivers just went on; Glen Ridge Auto is closing.

The business, at 12 Herman St., has been in town for almost 45 years, across the street from the police station.

It has been operated by the Kindberg family, of late, the brothers Al and Carl. The shop was started by their father, Al senior, who died in 2001. Their mother, Ann, who was also an office manager for a doctor, did the bookkeeping. She died in July and the town came out to pay their respects.

The final day for the shop will be Nov. 30. And do not think you might be able to squeeze your car in by then. When people heard the brothers were leaving, drivers lined up.

Al senior started the business in 1979.

“My father was doing auto repairs as a young man,” Al said. “He left that and went into injection molding. In ‘79, he got out of the plastic business.”

His father searched around for months for a place to start his own auto repair business and found it in Glen Ridge.

“This place was a shambles,” Carl said. “The junk men wouldn’t even walk in.”

Al said a couple of guys were doing auto work just before his family came and they had made a mess of the place.

“They didn’t belong here — period,” he said.

The garage was scoured clean and little by little, machinery was brought in. At the time, in addition to working at the shop, Carl, 64, attended Montclair State College, now a university, majoring in Industrial Education and Technology, with a minor in business. Al, 67, also attended the school for the same major. In 1979, he had been managing a Texaco gas station. Al and Carl grew up in Cedar Grove.

“We both did well in college,” Carl said. “I was offered a job at ITT, but I wanted to work with my family. I don’t regret doing it.”

But schooling was not over. To keep up with automotive technology, it was necessary for them to go back to class.

“We did a lot of school to keep up with the times,” Carl said.

“For the most part,” Al said, “it was easier before. Your skill set needs to be a lot better with computers. When we started, it was hands-on. Now you have to be good with electronics.”

He said when a mechanic does a diagnostic and the computer flashes a code indicating a problem, that code is only pointing in the direction of the problem.

“It’s not always what you think is wrong,” Carl said. “The computer is saying there’s something wrong. Years ago, there were no ports to plug into to give you an idea of where you’re going. People don’t understand when a code comes up, it’s not necessarily a bad part. Maybe it’s just a bad relay. People get very upset with check engine lights.”

“It scares people,” Al said. “They think they have more problems then they do.”

Since deciding to close shop in late October, the brothers have been working Monday to Friday, 10 hours a day, to fulfill the demand.

“We don’t want to leave our customers stranded,” Carl said. “Over the years, they’ve appreciated this.”

“We love all the customers,” Al said. “We’re doing third and fourth generations of families.”

“Our mother passed away in July and dad in 2001,” Carl said. “Everyone that came into the shop loved them dearly. We’re Swedish and Italian. We were raised to treat people the way you’d like to be treated. They raised us with good values.”

Both men said they were leaving now because their lease was up. They were not being forced out. They were offered monthly leases, but could not run an auto repair
shop that way.

“We were anticipating another couple of years, but it’s OK,” Al said.

“The landlord is running a business, too,” Carl said.

As for the future, Al said he will do whatever his wife tells him to do.

“Essentially, cleaning out mom’s stuff,” he added.

Carl, who built his home right across the street from his parents’ home and took care of his mother as she aged, will also be tying up the loose ends of her estate.

Al said at one time he had hoped his children would follow him into the business, but acknowledged that they have done better. He has two sons and a daughter. Carl is a bachelor.

“We love what we do, we love the people,” Al said.

“There’s a man who was from Montclair.” Carl said. “He retired to Florida. He would only trust us. He’d come up and use a rented car while we took care of his car. He would only have his oil changed in Florida. We feel bad for the customers. What can you do?”

  Glen Ridge