MYRTLE POINT – John and Alayna Black know something about perseverance. The Coos Bay couple have been working for the past three years to open their dream auto shop and, with things finally lining up, they’ve made it a reality.
Owner John Black walks through the lot Friday at his newly opened Outlaw Auto, Tire & Lube garage in Myrtle Point as a mechanic works under…
Outlaw Auto, Tire and Lube is Myrtle Point’s newest auto shop to open. It offers community members a one-stop-shop for not only their tire needs, but also a wide range of mechanical services.
The store, which took over the former Myrtle Point Tire, has only been open for about four months and has undergone a complete renovation. The couple redid the entire entrance hall, the garage and the exterior of the building.
“We worked from early morning until sometimes 1 a.m. to get everything clean and ready,” Alayna said. “We practically lived here for an entire month before we opened.”
The shop offers diesel and automotive repairs as well as exhaust, alignment and brake inspections. It also performs standard maintenance work, including oil changes. After leaving New Mexico six years ago, Alayna said she found solace on the South Coast and especially in the community of Myrtle Point.
“We love this city so much,” Alayna said. “We come back and forth every day to come to work and eventually we want to live here and become a bigger part of the community.”
On Friday, mechanic Houstin Headley installs a driveshaft in a Volvo at Outlaw Auto, Tire & Lube in Myrtle Point.
Over the next few months, Alayna said they will be adding a part-time intern who will spend time in the garage learning and working on vehicles. According to Alayna, the idea to recruit a student from Myrtle Point High School came after performing an oil change on one of his teachers’ vehicles.
“A lot of people don’t give students the chance to work because they lack experience,” Alayna said. “We don’t see it that way and we want to give everyone the opportunity to prove themselves.”
The need for a local auto shop was huge. According to Alayna, while they were working on renovations, they frequently received inquiries from residents asking when they would start their services.
“As soon as we opened our pitch was packed,” Alayna said. “It was great to see all the support we received.”
On Friday, mechanic Houstin Headley installs a driveshaft in a Volvo at Outlaw Auto, Tire & Lube in Myrtle Point.
With over 20 years of diesel and auto repair experience, John runs the garage and leads his team of mechanics while Alayna works in office management. Although it has been open for a few months, the store is planning an open house in September inviting residents to tour their facility and ask questions directly to their staff.
The couple have two sons, who serve in the US Marine Corps, and a daughter who attends Marshfield High School. Alayna said her family is a huge motivation for them and with two sons in the military, they do their best to show their appreciation and support for local veterans.
The two have started a local fundraiser for one of their military clients, who recently had surgery and needs major repairs to his vehicle.
“The car isn’t running and it’s going to cost more to run it than the car is worth,” Alayna said. “So we’re trying to set up something where the community can all participate and we can get them a new vehicle.”
Mechanic Houstin Headley lowers a car Friday after making repairs at Outlaw Auto, Tire & Lube in Myrtle Point.
Currently, the store is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is located at 711 Spruce Street. Alayna said she hopes to be able to open on Saturdays as soon as they add more staff so she can reach more customers.
“We just want to provide a place where people can come and feel like they’re not being taken advantage of,” Alayna said. “We want to succeed and prove to those who didn’t believe in us earlier than we did.”
