At the corner of 44th and Fremont in Beaumont Village, a cluster of neat, low, cream-colored structures of varying vintages comprises Barrett Automotive, the full-service auto repair shop that’s laid claim to that corner since WWII.
The current owners of this well-trafficked business are Bill Barrett and his wife of 40 years, Jere (pronounced “Jair-ee”). The business has been in the Barrett family since Bill’s father established the place; today it runs as smoothly as the vehicles it repairs – with Bill at the proverbial wheel, assisted in the office by Jere, and in the shop by two long-time employees, Duster Croghan and Rocky Kautz.
Bill’s father, Mel Barrett, purchased an existing auto repair business and an adjoining home in 1944, opening under the name Barrett’s Auto Service. Mel served as the mechanic in the shop; his wife, Jane, was the bookkeeper. The couple lived in the home on the property and there raised Bill, their only child, who took comfortably to life among the line-up of cars in need of repair.
“I was six months old when they bought the property and the business,” Bill said.
Bill’s route to ownership of Barrett’s was a circuitous one. Building hot rods in high school, with a knack for figuring out how things worked and an interest in radio and electronics, he attended Benson High School. After high school, he began his studies in engineering at Oregon State University. Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1965 during the Vietnam War era, his OSU education was cut short.
While in training for the Army Special Forces, Bill suffered a near-death experience due to a malfunctioning parachute. The accident resulted in a broken back and internal injuries, resulting in his separation from the military.
Post-Vietnam Bill trained as a commercial pilot and flew for an air freight service company. His father’s pending retirement led him back to Beaumont Village. For several years he worked side-by-side with his dad, taking over completely when his father retired in 1971.
The younger Barrett has seen a great deal of change on Fremont Street during his lifetime. He noted that many buildings existing today as retail stores or restaurants catered to the commuting crowd in the past.
“There were four or five service stations within a few blocks from our repair shop—there was a lot of competition on the street.”
Bill and Jere have implemented changes in the business over the years, purchasing a former real estate office property to provide more work space and a front office.
“Back in my dad’s day,” Bill said, “there wasn’t an office; business was done in the far corner of the shop next to a big, old heating stove. Customers had to wiggle past the cars to find my dad to pay their bill.”
The only auto repair service Barrett’s doesn’t provide is body and paint work, but they can fix and maintain most any vehicle. In addition to all domestic autos, Barrett’s services many imports; a Rolls Royce and Maserati have even graced the shop floor. Barrett’s is also expert at helping customers obtain DEQ certification, going so far as to take the vehicle through the process on behalf of the customer.
Bill and Jere pride themselves on another unique aspect of their service—they don’t do repair work and then surprise the customer with the cost.
“We diagnose the problem, develop an estimate, and call the customer to inform them of the suspected ‘gremlin,’ and get their okay to proceed,” said Jere.
A longtime advertiser in this newsletter, Barrett Automotive is located at 4413 NE Fremont St. Hours of operation are M-F, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (503) 287-1352 for more information.
Barrett Automotive in Beaumont Village has provided auto repair service since 1944. L to R: Jere Barrett, Rocky Kautz, Duster Croghan and Bill Barrett.