RONCEVERTE W.Va. (WVDN) – After 34 years of repairing vehicles, plowing snow and towing stranded cars and trucks, longtime mechanic expert Greg Masters is calling it quits.
Masters owns Masters Mech and Tech and Auto Repair in Ronceverte and also owns Masters Used Cars beside the Fairlea Plaza entrance across from Subway in Fairlea.
However, health issues that popped up in late 2023 have forced Masters to focus more on himself and his health in general. One positive, however, is that the business is staying in the family.
Greg’s son, Levi Masters, has taken over for his father to continue the same tradition that Greg built for over three decades. Although the circumstances were not great, the deal is something that works for both of them.
“It was perfect timing,” Greg said. “He wanted something on his own and I needed to start backing off. I’m doing pretty good, but I just don’t have the stamina I used to,” he added.
Levi’s experience in the business goes back years and he is something of a veteran himself in the auto industry. He owned a shop up Route 92, he’s been in Caldwell, worked out of his own house, and worked in Covington. But he technically started with Greg right after he began walking.
“He has been on my hip around everything since he was two or three years old,” Greg stated.
The family impact started before Greg as well. His dad owned a mechanic shop located in Organ Cave (pictured below) years ago, so Greg is a second-generation mechanic and Levi has brought up generation number three.
In the beginning, Levi will start with the auto shop, the towing business and the snow removal.
“He will get the used car lot eventually,” Greg said.
Levi’s last bit of history with the auto shop came when he helped Greg build it back up after it burned down in 2008.
“That was pretty bad,” Greg said. “Levi and I built that back together.”
So now that Greg is officially retired, his relaxing time and travel can start immediately. Well, maybe not as soon as he thought.
“My last day was supposed to be last Friday (Feb. 16), but I’m still here helping Levi get started,” Greg said.
“I look forward to taking care of all my past and present customers, and hopefully some new as well,” Levi said on social media recently.
And don’t think for a second that the Masters name in the auto industry will stop with Levi. Levi’s son, Gavin, who turns 15 years old next month is interested in following family’s footsteps as well. In fact, he already has his own car cleaning business and can be found on Facebook at GS AutoWash and Detail.
“I don’t want him being around all this too much because you know how it is, it gets busy,” Levi said of his son.
“But he wants to make some money and I don’t want to stop him from doing that,” he added.
So, with Greg retiring and Levi already in his position, it is safe to say that the fourth generation of Masters expertise will start sooner, rather than later.
