(April 3, 2015) Bridge Auto Repair was the last auto repair shop in Ocean City and has moved a couple miles over the bridge to a new West Ocean City location, located across the street from Taylor Marine and next door to the Brass Balls facility on Ocean Gateway.
Owner Rob Perry opened the doors to his new location on Monday morning and looks forward to the opportunities their new spot provides.
“There was not enough space to take care of our locals,” Perry said. “The biggest problem was being bombarded by tourists in the summer and not having the capacity to take care of local people who pay our bills all year long.”
Perry lists the confined former space on Philadelphia Avenue, accommodating customers in the surrounding areas and growing his business as the main reasons for the change of scenery.
“An auto repair shop in town is not necessarily needed and the property costs are high,” Perry said.
Bridge Auto Repair is a full service auto repair shop specializing in foreign and domestic cars as well as a 24-hour towing service.
“Quality work and reasonable, fair prices have gotten us to where we are,” Perry said. “Putting things in a priority list with the customer makes it easier for them to afford their car and stretches out our work for the next month.”
Perry makes sure his customers know the repairs their car needs and if they are time sensitive. In addition, recommendations are always listed on their invoice.
The auto shop can now work on larger vehicles in addition to having the space for partnerships with companies including the post office, Sunsations and Mann properties.
“Anything of size didn’t fit in our little shop. It was one-way traffic and if you passed us, you were on the bridge. Most people didn’t even know we were there,” Perry said. “This is the battle I had for a while, no one knowing we were there and not having enough room to do everything we wanted.”
The additional space permits enough room to keep impounded vehicles on site, instead of in a leased lot in Berlin, which is where they previously were kept.
Bridge Auto Repair has been locally owned and operated for decades.
Perry’s father-in-law, Thomas Snyder, ran the business for 27 years on Philadelphia Avenue.
Snyder purchased the property, including the gas station next door, and named the auto shop ‘Bridge Texaco.’ The business was a joint effort between Snyder and a business partner, Richard Scott. They ran the shop for two years before Snyder became the sole owner in 1985.
In 2000, Snyder sold the gas station and changed the auto shops name to ‘Bridge Auto Repair.’
Snyder would continue to run the shop until 2007, which is when Perry bought him out. Perry has ran the business for eight years in Ocean City.
They had been looking to relocate for more than a year before the West Ocean City space became available. Construction was started in January.
“In the summertime everything gets jammed up, the move had to be quick,” Perry said.
Bridge Auto Repair is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located on Ocean Gateway across the street from Taylor Marine.
“We are one big happy family and look forward to servicing the community in our new location,” Perry said.
- Bridge Auto Repair Owner Rob Perry, third from left,
- poses for a picture with his wife and staff in front of their
- new location, which is across the street from Taylor Marine
- on Ocean Gateway.
