Central Oregon Brakes For Less: Where Customers Are Family

(Photo above: Southwick family, Joshua, Jeff, Joe, Kathy with dogs Hooch, Conrad and Gabriella | Photo by Krystal Marie Collins)

Since the Southwick family created Central Oregon Brakes For Less four years ago, they say they always deliver two things: treating customers like friends and family and providing reliable and affordable brake repair. Owner/CEO Jeff Southwick describes the heart of his crew (wife and two sons) saying, “Kathy is the best bookkeeper/payroll administrator I could ever have, Joshua is an amazing service manager and I couldn’t ask for a better shop foreman with Joe.”

Jeff says, “I worked for nearly 30 years as a brake and alignment technician and always dreamt of passing on my knowledge to my sons. After retirement, myself and my youngest son Joe began doing brake jobs for our neighbors and friends. Those neighbors and friends started telling their neighbors and friends, and we could see their was a big need and opportunity for us to expand our business from the driveway to a shop.”

Originally unsure whether to return to the automotive industry, Jeff says it was community distress over the price of services that sealed the deal on his return. “The prices people are paying are outrageous. We wanted to open a brake shop that would serve the community with fair prices.”

When asked how he is able to provide such quality service with the same warranty as competitors, at about half the price, Jeff explains that being a single entity allows him a lot of freedom. “Corporations have to pay their upper management and executives which means lower salaries for staff and higher prices for customers. We don’t have those costs here.”

Jeff says in 2015 they enjoyed increased profits each month. The growth allowed him to hire two non-family employees, who, like Joe, are Central Oregon Community College certified technicians.

In the near future, they plan to build two more bays on the south end of the existing building to accommodate for larger trucks and a pit for
easier alignments.

“We have enjoyed growing the business,” Jeff says, “because it has allowed us to contribute to the successes of our employees.” Jeff gives nearly 50 percent of yearly company profits to his employees in bonuses.

“Everyone who comes in here is treated like family,” says Jeff. Kathy echos her hope that customers see Brakes for Less as, “a company they can trust. We treat everyone like next
door neighbors.

They live here, I live here, I want them to be super happy when they see us around town.”

Kathy acknowledges how hard it can be for women to deal with mechanics and says, “I want women to know that this is a place they can come to without a man. You won’t be taken advantage of, my sons and husband will take good care of your vehicle.”

Jeff is excited to pass the company on to his sons one day. His sons say, “We joke about it, Dad talks about retiring, but we know he will be in here with a cane or wheel chair still turning wrenches before he ever sits at home.” Whether his father retires or not, Joshua says, “We’ll stand in front of our brake jobs!”

Central Oregon Brakes For Less
1315 NE Third Street, Bend, OR 97701, cobrakes@bendbroadband.com
CEO: Jeff Southwick
No. Employees: 6
Year Established: May 1, 2012
Product/Service: Major business is brakes, as well as, under car care, shocks, struts, u-joints/cv axles, ball joints and alignments.
Hot News: Expanding in the near future by adding two bays to accommodate larger trucks and a pit for easier alignments.
Outlook for Growth: Excellent.