Harbor Auto Repair II now open

Mayco “Mike” Martinez, the owner of Harbor Auto Repair II. (THG/Joseph F. Berenato. To acquire images in The Gazette, contact (609) 704-1940.)

Hammonton’s latest automobile store is open up for business.

Harbor Auto Restore II, found at 61 12th St., is the 2nd of two locations for the business the initial is situated in Egg Harbor Metropolis.

Owner Mayco “Mike” Martinez mentioned that the to start with area opened seven decades in the past.

“We experienced a business partner, and he decided to transfer on. I took the place, and it is me and my brother, Gerardo. We began operating together and started off constructing up clientele. We do typical mechanic get the job done, maintenance, oil improvements and stuff like that,” Martinez stated.

Martinez was born in the south of Mexico, and came to the United States in 1999 when he was 12 many years old, attending school in Atlantic City.

Martinez claimed that he acquired his begin in automobile mechanics through his stage-father, a mechanic.

“He would constantly say to me, ‘Why do not you arrive assistance out and master anything?’ I was not really fascinated, but one working day I claimed, ‘Let me see what you do.’ I favored it—moving autos, having parts out—and that is how I got included,” Martinez said.

Sooner or later, Martinez’s mother and step-father moved to Florida.

“He asked if I wanted to transfer with him so we could start out anything collectively and I could understand more. I moved there and started off functioning with him. We used to do a mobile mechanic type of point, and he commenced finding a whole lot of consumers. That’s when he opened his store. I was encouraging him out for a although, then still left to get the job done for Firestone. There, I was the tire man. I moved up a tiny bit and started out undertaking other things like alignments. Then, I wanted to discover how to weld so I went to Midas,” Martinez said.

A trip to check out a single of his sisters who nonetheless lived in New Jersey put Martinez on the route to the place he is now.

“That’s when I met my wife,” Martinez mentioned.

Now, he and his wife, Maite Peña, have two children—Ozeil, 13, and Paris, 1—and dwell in Egg Harbor Metropolis.

When on the lookout for a position to open a second area, Martinez said that Hammonton was a normal selection.

“I often needed to occur here. The space, the men and women all-around listed here are pretty welcoming. They’re wonderful. They enable. Joe, the dude across the street, he did not even know me and he offered me his enable. I was genuinely stunned he served me set my tools over below. I don’t know him like that. Other people came listed here and welcomed us Hammonton. It is a excellent spot I like the city. They treat you very good right here,” Martinez stated.

Harbor Auto Repair II held a ribbon chopping ceremony at 61 12th Road on Oct 21, 2021. Still left to appropriate: Councilman Jonathan Oliva, Higher Hammonton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director John Runfolo, MainStreet Hammonton Government Director Cassie Iacovelli, Maite Martinez, Oziel Martinez, Mike Martinez holding Paris Martinez, Hammonton Revitalization Company President Richard Rehmann and Councilman William Olivo. (THG/Kristin Guglietti. To purchase shots in The Gazette, contact (609) 704-1940.)

Considering that Harbor Vehicle Repair II opened in Oct, Martinez explained that enterprise has been fantastic and his shoppers have been contented.

“I try out to retain my prospects joyful. I have to get their vehicles accomplished, due to the fact they’ve got a lifestyle, as well … I like my consumers, and I deal with them perfectly. I try to operate with them. If I can aid with whichever I can, I will. In my other location, I have a lot of very long-time consumers. I try to develop interactions with them,” Martinez said.

Harbor Auto Repair II, Martinez said, will work on most autos, overseas and domestic.

“There are some problems when it arrives to German cars, but you do not see that lots of all around right here since they’ll commonly go to dealerships … We do engines, transmission swaps, alignments, tires, breaks, catalytic converters and things like that,” Martinez explained.

Martinez noted that his enterprise has the potential to extend, but he is very content with his locale on 12th Street—and with all that Hammonton has to present, specially the sense of group among residents and company house owners.

“I’ve been accomplishing this for a extensive time. I’m here. I’m willing to stay right here for a prolonged time … I definitely want to be a component of the community. I want to aid where ever I can this is a fantastic place. One particular male mentioned to me, ‘We only use nearby organizations. We help each individual other.’ That’s excellent. Which is how you maintain a city likely,” Martinez stated.

For additional facts, call (609) 878-3524.