Our Roots on Main Street
For decades, the storefront at 356 E. Main Street has served as a cornerstone of downtown Central City. Before it was known as Station 1 Automotive, this location was Don’s Standard Station—a reliable neighborhood full-service garage where neighbors met for fuel, honest auto repairs, and friendly conversation.
Station 1 Automotive’s Beginning
Started in November 2010, owned and operated by Todd and Cindy Lafler, Station 1 Automotive carries forward that long-standing legacy of small-town service and community connection. Founded on a simple, straightforward principle—treat every customer like family—they took pride in offering fair pricing, transparent diagnostic advice, and high-quality workmanship without unnecessary upsells. Todd and Cindy viewed the shop as more than just a place to fix cars—it’s an active part of the community. Whether they were lighting up the storefront windows for the holidays, handing out Halloween candy to neighborhood kids with the very recognizable Tow Mater out front, hosting local car enthusiasts, having the horse drawn carriage during Holiday on Main or offering a fresh cup of coffee and cookie to anyone that walked in the door, they made Station 1 Automotive a staple of Central City’s downtown square!
Station 1 Automotive Today
On September 1st, 2026, Richie and Jessica Fox purchased the business after wanting to own an automotive shop from a young age. After moving to Central City in 2014, Richie and Jessica have grown deep roots in the community between Richie being on the Central City Fire Department, coaching little league teams, having a seat on the city council and owning two other businesses (FoxLake Tech & Fox’s Firehouse Flavors), Jessica has worked at Dollar General, Apple Kids and is most recently a 5/6th grade teacher at the Central City Community School District. We plan to continue Todd and Cindy’s vision of being a staple in the Central City Downtown square by picking up right where they have left off, being involved in local events such as 4th of July, Halloween (Yes, Tow Mater will continue to be there!), Holiday on Main, car shows, and other events! We also plan on carrying the same principles of fair pricing, transparent diagnostic advice, and high-quality workmanship without the unnecessary upsells. We look forward to continuing business with the community and surrounding areas. If you haven’t been to the shop in a while, stop in, say hi, and grab a cookie!
