Dec. 8, 2020—The Daily Chronicle of Lewis County, Wash., gave the spotlight to a local, long-running quick lube.
Identified as the county's first quick lube, Ernie's Rapid Lube started in 1983, according to the paper's profile. The original owner and business eponym, Ernie Schmitt, died in 2017. Today, Ernie's wife and son (Deanna and Glen, respectively) run the place.
It's a true family business, as other members of the Schmitt family help with administrative work and payroll, as well as work in the shop. This year, the shop had to shut down for six weeks amid the early COVID-19 shutdowns. When they opened their doors again, the customers were there to greet them. Glen told the paper that it made him thankful.
“That meant a lot to us that the customers were willing to come back and were waiting for us to open back up,” he told The Chronicle. “They felt comfortable coming here.”
Image: Ernie's Rapid Lube / Facebook
