A Love Of Cars. A Commitment To People.
Dean Columbia has been working on cars since he was 14 years old. He started out at an exhaust shop in Silvis, moved on to dealership service departments, and eventually earned his ASE Master Technician Certification. By 28, he'd climbed as high as he could and decided it was time to try something different. He went into construction, built a business with 15 employees, and later spent years in the moving and trucking industries, including earning Driver of the Year honors with Global Van Lines in 2006.
But through all those years and careers, Dean never really stopped working on cars. He'd spend weekends helping neighbors and family, he’d buy broken-down vehicles to fix up for his kids and nieces. He would find ways to do the work he loved. As his trucking career came to a close in 2018, the opportunity to rent a building in Aledo gave him the chance to do something he'd wanted for a long time: come home more often and work on cars full-time.
Columbia Auto Repair & Sales opened in March 2018 as a small oil-change and tire-repair shop, with a space for Dean to work on used cars he had for resale. He originally needed a repair shop to support the sales side of the business, but customers quickly started asking if he'd work on their vehicles, too. He was happy to oblige. What started as a small operation grew into the full-service shop it is today.
Why Honesty Matters
The idea behind Columbia Auto was personal. In 2017, Dean's daughter had work done at another repair shop. Her four-year-old car came back with problems involving the rear brakes and emergency brake cable, work that hadn't been completed as promised, and a recommendation to replace tires that were still in good condition. The shop eventually made things right, but the experience stuck with Dean.
He wondered how often that happened to other people. And he decided he wanted to run a shop where customers could trust what they were being told. And for Dean, that means explaining what a vehicle needs, being upfront about repairs, and not selling people work or parts they don't need. It also means being just as careful with the vehicles Columbia Auto sells. Dean no longer buys from dealer auctions, preferring local sellers and government auctions, and he takes the time to inspect vehicles before buying them. He'd rather pass on a car or lose money on a deal, than sell something he doesn't feel good about putting his name behind or having one of his loved ones drive.
As Dean puts it, "This is a small town. I have to see these people at school functions and grocery stores all the time." For him, that means doing right by people isn't just good business. It's being able to look your neighbors in the eye and knowing you've treated them fairly.
More Than Business
Dean believes local businesses should support one another. He buys parts from other Aledo businesses whenever he can, and he doesn't see other repair shops as the enemy. When he figures out a problem another shop couldn't solve, he'll often call and share what he found. It's about helping each other out, not competing over who knows more. As he says, “I don't think of other shops as competition. We're all just trying to feed our families.”
He also works with a local church's car ministry, sometimes donating his labor so people who are struggling can afford the parts and fixes they need. As Dean explains, helping someone who genuinely needs it feels better than collecting a check. That same belief in giving people a chance carries into the shop itself. Columbia has worked with local schools to bring students into the automotive trade, giving them hands-on experience as apprentices while they're still in school and opportunities to stay on after graduation. It's one way he can pass along the kind of knowledge he's spent a lifetime building.
Dean didn't open Columbia Auto Repair & Sales to build the biggest shop in town. He opened it because he loves working on cars, wanted to be home more, and believed he could do things the right way. Today, that means quality repairs, carefully chosen vehicles, support for the community, and treating people with the honesty and respect they'd expect from a neighbor.
Because a good name takes time to earn. And only good, honest work, day after day, can keep it.
Pictured left to right: Landon Weeks, Dean Columbia, Brandon Leonard, Autumn Bell
THE CREW BEHIND THE WRENCHES
dEAN cOLUMBIA
Owner, ASE Master Certified TechnicianWith more than 30 years of experience working on vehicles, Dean has always been happiest with a wrench in his hand. He started working on cars at 14 and went on to work in dealerships, exhaust shops, and diesel repair before earning his ASE Master Technician certification.
After years in trucking and other businesses, he opened Columbia Auto Repair & Sales in 2018 with the goal of building a shop where people could bring their vehicles and know they’ll get honesty in return. Today, he's still at the heart of the business, diagnosing, tinkering, investing in the next generation, giving back to the community, and making sure the vehicles that leave the shop are ones he can stand behind.
What he loves most: Figuring out the problem nobody else could solve and helping people get back on the road.
Landon Weeks
Landon came to Columbia through our work with local schools and student employees. What started as an opportunity to learn the trade quickly turned into something more. After graduating, he stayed on with the shop and is continuing to build his skills as an automotive technician.
We're proud to have watched him grow from a high school employee into a legitimate member of the Columbia team. There's a lot to learn in this business, but Landon has already shown that he's willing to put in the work and keep learning.
For us, that's what it's all about: giving good people a chance to learn the trade and build something for themselves.
Automotive Technician
Brody is our high school employee this year, and he's already proving that he has something you can't teach: he really loves working on cars.
He's still learning and has plenty of room to grow, just like every young technician does, but that enthusiasm reminds Dean of himself at the same age. Brody is getting hands-on experience, learning how the shop works, and developing the skills he'll need to become a good mechanic.
He's a little rough around the edges yet. But we’re betting on him, and given some time, we think he'll shape up just fine.
Student TechnicianBrody Leonard
Autumn wears a lot of hats at Columbia. She's our receptionist, office manager, and accountant. And, according to Dean, an "absolute rock star."
While she's attending college, Autumn helps run much of the day-to-day operation of the business. She keeps things organized, takes care of customers, handles the office, and somehow manages to keep everything moving while attending school.
She's become such an important part of the Columbia team that Dean admits he doesn't know what he's going to do when she graduates and moves on.
But for now, we're lucky to have her.
Office Manager • Receptionist • Accountant • All-Around Rock StarAutumn Bell
Amanda fills in and keep things running when Autumn is away at school. She helps with the day-to-day office work and steps in wherever she's needed to keep the shop moving.
She's become an important part of the Columbia team and, as Dean puts it, "an asset to our company."
It takes more than technicians to run a good shop. The people answering the phones, working with customers, keeping track of the details, and making sure everyone knows what's going on are just as important. And we are lucky to have that in Amanda.
Office SupportAmanda Pestle
