07/02/2026
16 years. One family. One dream.
This year marks 16 years in business, and I couldn’t be more proud to say we’re doing it together as a family.
When Jake and I started Great Lakes in 2010, we had a dream that one day our children would stand beside us and help build what we had worked so hard to create. On May 1 of this year, that dream became our reality. As one of our longtime friends moved on to pursue his own path, Jake and our boys stepped in to take the reins, and we couldn’t be happier.
From left to right in the photo: Jake, Heather, Dakota, and Dawson.
Each of us has found our place, and together we make a great team.
* Jake is the backbone of the shop, leading everything from towing to automotive repair.
* Dakota specializes in small engines and ATVs.
* Dawson works on automobiles, ATVs, and motorcycles.
* Heather keeps the entire operation running behind the scenes—handling the business, organizing the chaos, and making sure everyone stays on track (and, most days, alive!).
The last piece of the puzzle will be finding a place for our youngest son, Maddox, in all of this craziness, if that’s the path he chooses. Whatever he decides, we’ll support him every step of the way, but we’d be lying if we said we wouldn’t love to have all three of our boys working alongside us someday.
We’re incredibly grateful for our loyal customers who have supported us over the past 16 years. What started as a dream fueled by hard work, sacrifice, struggles and faith, has become our reality. Being able to work side by side as a family is something we never take for granted.
Thank you for believing in us, supporting our small business, and allowing us to do what we love. Here’s to the next chapter and many more years of serving our community together. ❤️
