06/28/2023
Dale Burnett, Closing Shop After
28 ½ Years of Servicing Council Grove
Dale Burnett of Burnett’s Car Care is closing up shop Friday. This time he’s not going fishing, taking a few days off, or teaching his grandkids about the important things in life. Friday afternoon marks the end of a 28 ½ year run of car care work at W. Main and N. Mission St. Dale Burnett is retiring and closing his business.
As I visited with Burnett this week, my mind wandered to when I was a very young child and the station had just been built. Burnett said the building was built in 1957. There are more than a few of us, who remember when the building was new. The facility sported gas pumps, a lit Standard sign and the building was shiny and red, white and blue. It was new and one of the gems of Council Grove. Tourists would stop there but more importantly, Council Grove, fixed their stuff there, whether it be a car or truck tire, or a bicycle tire, that was the service station to go to.
Some things have changed. The gas pumps are gone and the Standard logo with them but everything that stood for honesty, integrity and service has remained.
Getting any information from Burnett for this article was difficult as all he wanted to do was thank his many loyal customers. I was able to capture a great photo of him smiling in the shop. He joked that it would look more realistic if I loaned him a cigarette. (Burnett, much to his chagrin, has stopped smoking after many years.)
Burnett’s daughter Misty shared that Burnett often traded his labor for baked goods with his elderly customers. She also said that Burnett kept popsicles in the freezer and candy in the desk for kids who came in or walked by. Some kids would go on walks just so they could go see him. Misty said, “Most likely, if you came in you didn't sit in silence, but instead had the opportunity to strike up a conversation with Mary, one of the grandkids or one of his many friends who sat there to shoot the breeze.”
One of Burnett’s original employees was his dad, Shorty, and son, Tyson. Tyson worked alongside him for several years. His oldest grandson Brent was employed with him from as early as he could flip a coin for money, to 5 years, when he was truly Grandpa's right hand man. His oldest granddaughter, Brylea, also worked there a year, pushing the limits on what Grandpa thought his 'pretty girl' could do. Another Grandson, Colton, worked there off and on over the last few years.
Burnett’s driveway has held a number of lemonade and vegetable stands from grandkids. In the last year in business, he adopted a homeless cat named Blaze that resides as a 'shop cat'. Flat tires brought in men from other states that have become friends and are now like family.
As transportation has evolved, tires and wheels have become heavier and heavier. Burnett mentioned that a recent SUV tire weighed 80 lbs. plus the weight of the wheel. Such weights become increasingly difficult for one person to handle. In recent years Burnett has battled some health problems and believes now is the time to retire, as his family has been encouraging him to do for a while.
The iconic property at 228 W Main will no longer be a service station. Burnett says an agreement has been made to sell the property. He had three offers and feels comfortable with the one he settled on. Neither Burnett nor the new owner are ready to make an official announcement at press time but in a small town like Council Grove, I am sure new ownership info will circulate quickly.
Misty summed up the importance of Burnett’s Car Care to the family and to Council Grove, when she said, “The shop has been more than a business. It’s a huge part of who we are. It’s probably a good idea those walls can’t talk!”
Image and article credits go to the Council Grove Republican .
