What Are They Fixing at David's Garage?

by Marlys Cervantes, Staff Writer

On their wonderful online presence, it states, "David's Garage is a full-service auto repair shop servicing Ponca City and the surrounding areas. We believe in treating every customer like family and we believe that's what set us apart from other automotive repair stores." Their Facebook site at Davids Garage LLC seems to follow that philosophy with posts for every holiday season, reminders of what their friends should be doing to keep their vehicles running smoothly, and even reminders of community events.

When asked about his online presence, David George explains he doesn't do it alone. He pays to belong to a community of shop owners who work together as a coaching program. They serve as mentors to him and others, and that help has been part of the guiding force for his business.

This attitude of mentorship is one that David carries on in his daily life. When Jayden, his shop foreman, was asked what it was like to work for David as a boss, he thought for a minute and said, "I guess I don't really think of him like that. He's more like a mentor." Jayden graduated from OSU and has enjoyed working at the shop since then. They now employ one full-time person and two part-time employees, along with David and his wife.

David says it's not all roses and good times. He stresses he is not perfect, and he doesn't believe in sugar-coating anything. He believes in accountability for himself and for his employees. However, the journey to his business and his current life has been an exciting one.

He tells of a very weird situation where he turned to the Bible and read a few pages in Isaiah about refusing evil and choosing good, and it convicted him in a way he'd never felt before. He still remembers how it changed his life. He moved from being the Prodigal Son to serving and believing the Lord, to reading the Bible because he knew he could believe in the message it gave him. Besides the focus on his business life, he felt the obsession with substances lifted from him.

Now he knows how important his thoughts are to his success in life. He explains that he loves to learn. He began working on small engines like alternators, lawn mowers and such for someone else, but eventually learned enough that he could do so on his own. When asked what he's enjoyed learning, he laughingly says, "Well, since 2020 I've learned how to fix cars." He moved to cars just in time for Covid to hit and more people wanted small engine repairs since they were spending more time at home. However, he stuck with his plan to stay with cars knowing that is something needed year-round, and it has been a good business move.

The business had been running from 270-285 cars each month, but in March they hit a 300-car month. "We're busy," David says.

Although his business mission deals with fixing vehicles, his true purpose is to fix people. He is much more interested in people and inspiring them to more success through faith. David truly believes that any area he excels in now are ones he either was very bad at in his early life, or areas he really needed in his younger life and didn't have. He says, "I want to be the person I didn't have."

Happily living life with wife Lana and 17-year-old Ben, he says it's an honor to be recognized for his work, especially since it's all thanks to God. He emphasizes that Lana is a very important part of the journey. She works in the office, answering phones and scheduling appointments. When he's struggling over an issue or a bad day, he says he takes a walk. At the point he starts to feel a calmness come over him, he says, "I know she's praying for me right then."

David says, "I was (and still am) convinced that God will bless any work that you put your hands to in faith. It is my intention to show the world what is possible when operating in faith."

Go to David's Garage at 109 E. Emporia and let yourself be treated like family. Visit davidsgarageautomotive.com or call 580-559-2230.