Long-time mechanic not about to slow down

Al Johnston keeps customers happy by getting his hands greasy.
Johnston runs Al’s Tire Store at 1018 Mark Twain Ave., in Hannibal.
Don’t let the name fool you. Johnston and his small staff handle just about anything.
He’s been a mechanic for more than five decades and has no plans to put down his wrench.
“Every day is something new,” said Johnston, who has operated the business for 35 years. “It’s not the same thing over and over.”
Johnston’s love of automobiles began at an early age.
He bought his first car, a 1951 Plymouth, when he was 16, and quickly learned the what-was-what under the hood.
“We couldn’t afford not to,” Johnston said. “If it broke down, you’d better know how to fix it.”
Later, Johnston worked in a Quincy, Ill., automotive shop, where an experienced mechanic took the young man under his wing.
“He taught me most of what I know,” Johnston recalled. “I went with the flow.”
Problem-solving is natural for Johnston, which can come in handy with the intricacies of today’s computerized cars.
For Johnston, it’s the kind of constant education that has practical consequences.
“If you don’t learn something, you’re not going to stay in business,” he said.
At Al’s, things truly are a family affair. Johnston’s wife, Billie Sue, is the bookkeeper and his son, Kevin, is a mechanic. The other two employees are a half-brother, Bill Glover, and one non-relative, Frank White.
The downturn in the economy has forced many people to put off auto maintenance and service departments of big box stores have cut into the business of family-run operations.
Still, Johnston barely has time to stop and talk because of the volume of vehicles coming through the door.
He attributes the success to quality work and customer service. The theory goes that a business which is loyal to its customers will have the favor returned.
“I try to take care of them,” he said. “That’s what you have to do.”
At 68, Johnston certainly has earned the right to slow down, but his engines are still revving.
“You learn from experience,” Johnston said. “You may be able to solve that problem and you may not, but you just keep trying. I still like getting my hands dirty.”