COPLAY, Pennsylvania  –  Three members of the Herstine family have purchased Coplay Auto Repair at 3 North Second St. and will reopen it later this month. The seller, Michael Dopsovic, has retired and closed the business.

Antonia Trigiani of Lehigh Financial Group LLC in Allentown arranged the SBA loan that allowed Jeffrey Herstine, and his sons, Zachary and Brian, to acquire the auto repair business. They plan to make minor changes to the 2,010-square foot building before reopening it the last week in August. The purchase price was not disclosed.

All three family members have extensive experience in the auto repair business. Jeffrey Herstine, of Bath, has been an auto technician since he was 16 and a Toyota Certified Master Diagnostic Technician since 1996. Zachary and Brian Herstine also have been working on cars since they were teens and have worked as automotive technicians for area dealerships. Zachary and Brian also were US Marines where they worked on all types of equipment and vehicles and honed leadership skills.

Jeffrey Herstine has long dreamed of opening an independent auto repair shop with his sons. When they saw that Dopsovic was looking to retire and sell his business after 18 years, they saw it as “the perfect opportunity,” said Zachary, who lives in Walnutport. His younger brother lives in Bath.

Trigiani said the seller and the buyers “are really great people” and she’s thrilled to be able to make this deal happen for them. “It’s really an amazing story,” she said. “Mr. Dopsovic was so pleased to see his business continue with a family. And the Herstines have the experience and knowledge to continue to make the business a success. They showed great respect to Mr. Dopsovic and his hard work.”

The Herstines are looking to provide their customers with individualized service that small auto motive repair shops can provide. “We want to know our customers and provide them with an atmosphere where they will feel comfortable servicing their vehicles with us and know they will get the ‘one-on-one’ attention they deserve,” Jeffrey said.

The Herstines plan to make minor repairs to the office and work bays before they reopen. The pole building that houses the repair shop was rebuilt after a fire in 2001. The property includes parking for 11 vehicles and one double-wide bay with two lifts. Zachary said there have been commercial buildings on the property since the late 1800s.

The Herstines will keep the name, Coplay Auto Repair, but eventually they plan to transition to Herstine Automotive LLC.

Lehigh Financial Group, LLC is a leading source of innovative real estate capital solutions and financing options for commercial customers. The company, based in Allentown, serves the Lehigh Valley region by providing capital for businesses and investors locally, regionally and nationwide. For more information on Lehigh Financial Group LLC, please see our website at http://www.lehighfinancialgroup.com.

 

Information provided to TVL by Beth Orenstein on behalf of:
Lehigh Financial Group, LLC
122 North 5th Street
Allentown Pa 18102
http://www.lehighfinancialgroup.com/

 

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