LOWER LAKE, Calif. – An award-winning Clearlake auto repair business has broken ground on the construction of its new state-of-the-art facility, a major project that is expanding the company’s investment and commitment to the community.
A&B Collision co-owners Bill Stone and Alvaro Valencia held the groundbreaking for their new location at 9535 Highway 53 in Lower Lake on Thursday afternoon.
“It’s a million-dollar project, start to finish,” said Valencia, who lives in Clearlake, while Stone lives in Clearlake Oaks.
A&B Collision has been at its current location, 7070 Old Highway 53 in Clearlake, for the past 12 years, opening Aug. 1, 2005.
Stone and Valencia bring more than 45 years of experience in the collision repair industry to the community.
The company specializes in collision and mechanical repairs, state-of-the-art painting services, vehicle detailing, glass repair, rental cars and trucks through Hertz, as well as free loaner cars for customers. It’s also been recognized as a Gold Class auto repair facility.
Stone said it’s taken three years to get to this point in the project, from the property purchase to the needed rezoning to locate there. The planning permits and zoning were handled through the county of Lake.
“The process was a long process but it’s definitely needed. Everything had to be checked out, everything has to be done right, and we’re all in favor of that. So we’re set to go,” Stone said.
The newer and much bigger shop will provide a better location for customers, according to Stone and Valencia, with additional parking and a more centralized, highly visible location off Highway 53.
While A&B Collision has maintained its small-town friendliness, it’s consistently expanded its services and also embraced forward-thinking business practices, including a recycling program that significantly reduced its waste output and a “green business” approach to ensure a clean environment.
One of the new energy-efficient facility’s offerings will include a car wash that uses recycled water as well as “planet-friendly” landscaping at the site.
The company plans to add between two to four new employees in the future.
“We’re happy to invest in Lake County,” said Stone, adding that they want their employees to have a better place to work and their customers a better place to get their cars repaired.
The project’s funding was assisted by Clearlake Bank of the West.
Bank representative Stephanie Ashworth, who was at the ground-breaking with a shovel in hand, said the bank had worked with Stone and Valencia for about nine months on funding through the Small Business Administration loan program.
“We’re happy to be helping local customers invest back into the community,” she said.
A&B Collision’s owners are both heavily involved in the community, and are active members of the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, Lakeshore Lions Club and the Clearlake Oaks-Glenhaven Business Association. Valencia is a former member of the Clearlake Planning Commission.
They also support many local youth-oriented organizations, from sporting groups including Little League, football and soccer to the Lower Lake High School auto shop program.
Those efforts earned them the 2012 Stars of Lake County Youth Advocate of the Year Award.
Construction on the new Lower Lake A&B Collision shop is expected to be completed by the fall, with the company relocating shortly afterward.
Valencia said they hope to be in their new site by the end of September.
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A&B Collision breaks ground on million dollar facility in Lower Lake
- Elizabeth Larson
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