Kinney’s Garage under new management

Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Gloria Austin
NEW OWNER — In July, Andrew Faulkner took over Kinney’s Garage/Auto Center in Danforth from his grandfather Harry Kinney.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
    DANFORTH — Kinney’s Garage in Danforth has a new owner: Andrew Faulkner, Harry Kinney’s grandson, who took over the business in July, making it the third generation to run the full-service center.
    Kinney’s Garage is located on the corner of Main and Calais Road. The garage has a storied history in Danforth, as Faulkner’s great-grandfather started the business in 1945 as a Mobile Station. Then a fire destroyed the garage.
    Harry Kinney then rebuilt the garage on the original property for his own logging business— Harry Kinney, Inc. — to do their own repairs to their trucks, as the logging industry slowed, as well as selling gas and doing automobile repairs. Kinney’s Garage has been part of the Danforth community for 30 years.
    “We still have the lift from the original garage,” said Faulkner pointing down from his office window into the garage area.
    Faulkner, a 2001 East Grand School graduate, is well known for his athletic abilities as he played basketball, soccer and three years of baseball for the Vikings. He was among the players bringing home East Grand School’s first-ever Eastern Maine championship.
    After graduation, Faulkner went on to college for a few months, but discovered school wasn’t his niche.
    “I worked for a couple of places in Presque Isle,” he explained. “Then, I bought my own trailer truck when I was 21 to haul wood.”
    After hauling wood for about five or six years, Faulkner sold his truck and loaded wood for Davis Forestry in Danforth for two more years. With his grandfather getting older and wanting to step away from the family business, Faulkner said, “I thought it was a good opportunity.”
    The gas pumps at Kinney’s Garage are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., while the garage for mechanic work is open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
    “We have full service at the pump,” said Faulkner, “and, we have reasonable labor rates.”
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Gloria Austin
GARAGE WORK — Kinney’s Garage owner Andrew Faulkner, back, helps mechanic Sean Stevenson with a repair. Faulkner took over the full service center from his grandfather in July.
    Services at Kinney’s Garage include inspections and oil changes to general maintenance of a vehicle. Faulkner has just started carrying heavy duty truck parts such as brakes and oil.
    “I want to do a little bit more heavy-duty truck servicing,” he said. “And, I am in the process of getting a new diagnostic machine to work on newer vehicles.”
    Another feature of Kinney’s Garage is its welding service.
    “Even though we aren’t really set up to go to another place,” said Faulkner, “we can do it.”
    Though Faulkner has not attended any technical or training schools, he has picked up his mechanical knowledge on the job.
    “I am self taught,” he said. “I learned from working on my own stuff.”
    Since July, business has been picking up and Faulkner hopes it stays that way even after the summer visitors return to their homes.
    “I would like to see business stay steady,” he said. “My grandfather went to Florida in the wintertime so Loree was in the office, but no one managed the garage. Hopefully with me around, it will keep getting busier.”
    Faulkner has six full-time employees including himself — Bobby Kinney and Sean Stevenson,  mechanics; along with Gerald Allen, Loree Ross, office manager; and his brother Zac Faulkner — and parttime employee Neil Noble. His father owns Dave’s Hardware coming into the town, as well.
    Even though when Faulkner graduated from high school he didn’t have a goal, he has come full circle.
    “I wanted to work since school really wasn’t for me,” he said.  “Business was just something I wanted to do. My grandfather was [stepping away] from this place and I said to myself ‘Why not?’ I felt like I had to take a few chances and it has all worked out.”
    Faulkner’s long-term plan for Kinney’s Garage is simple — stay in business.
    “I am just trying to make a living,” he said. “I want to keep people working and keep business rolling.”
    Kinney’s Garage can be reached by calling 448-2494.