GLEN MOHRFELD

Glen Mohrfeld of Mohrfeld's Sunoco, which is on Kings Highway in Cherry Hill.

Longtime acquaintances Bill Walton and Glen Mohrfeld have a few things in common.

The two live and work in Cherry Hill. The two work in automobile repair shops. The two say they comprehend that it takes a lot to trust a mechanic, and if a potential customer already has such a trusting relationship with a different mechanic, the two would encourage the potential customer to stay with their existing mechanic.

And the two, thanks to a reader's suggestion, are the focus of this week's FIXTURES feature.

Mohrfeld’s Sunoco

As a child, Mohrfeld watched his father develop relationships with businesses that trusted him with keys to their buildings. Many years later, as the owner of Mohrfeld’s Sunoco on Kings Highway in Cherry Hill, Mohrfeld told a 70and73.com reporter that he works diligently to earn and keep the professional trust of his customers.

Although Mohrfeld said he did not know the exact year the service station opened, he did remember he began working at the service station in 1981 while in high school and when the gasoline company affiliated with the building was Arco. Almost immediately, he started professionally dreaming about owning the place, which since about 1966 was owned by a family friend and his mentor, Henry Marter.

After a few years, Mohrfeld’s professional dream of becoming an owner slowly came to fruition as he started paying Marter as much as he could each month. After about six months of such payments, he said Marter helped him secure a commercial loan to buy the service station.

The station's brand changed to Shell in the late 1990s and to Sunoco around 2000, Mohrfeld said. As years passed, the regulations and training regarding many aspects of running a service station have changed, such as required permits and necessary licenses.

ABOUT THIS FEATURE: Our FIXTURES feature focuses on businesses or other institutions that for decades have been important parts of our lives. Tell us your FIXTURE. If we use your suggestion, we will send you a 70and73 hat. Send email to contactus@70and73.com. Below, see the 18 other FIXTURES that already have been featured. — Editor

Mohrfeld also said he has tried through the years to earn the respect of his customers and those he works with.

During a 70and73.com visit, Mohrfeld knew all those who came into the service station by first name. He also immediately remembered the problem that prompted the customer to bring their car to the repair shop.

"The best part of my day is talking with the customers. I enjoy learning about their families, and they know about my family," Mohrfeld said. "I would like them to think that they are coming to a friend because I consider them a friend."

While customers are charged by the hour for repairs, they are charged for the number of hours the car manufacturer states the project will take to complete, even if it takes much longer to complete the job, he said.

Regarding those he works with, he said: "I would never introduce somebody as my employee. He or she is always a co-worker."

Mohrfeld said he wanted to continue owning his niche business for the foreseeable future to continue helping those customers who have put their trust in him and his co-workers.

BILL WALTON

Bill Walton joined Conte Brothers Automotive in 1989 after stints at several other area service stations. 

Conte Brothers Automotive

Conte Brothers Automotive, a few miles away on the other side of what used to be the Ellisburg Circle at the Route 70 intersection, opened its doors in 1955.

Walton, the service station manager, told 70and73.com that the Conte family built their business at several other locations near the intersection of Brace and Kresson roads and ultimately constructed the current repair shop. The building between the repair shop and Brace Road is a building that doubles as a waiting area for repair shop customers and as office space for those who buy or lease a car from the business.

Current owner Brian Patel bought the business from the Contes around 2000, said Walton, who joined the business in 1989 after working at several other service stations. His three mechanics' approach to repairing cars has always been the same.

"We follow each individual vehicle's recommended service schedule. So, if you bring in your Volvo, and you have 30,000 miles on your Volvo…we are going to make sure that we keep that vehicle on its mandated service plan, and we will make the correct recommendations," Walton said.

To that end, Walton makes sure every new service station employee knows that there is plenty of competition in the area.

"You have to make a good first impression, you have to do the job right and you have to give someone a fair price and treat them honestly so that when they leave here, they feel like they got their money's worth."

Finding quality mechanics has become increasingly difficult, Walton said. In the past, a job posting would generate 15 responses within a short time. Today, it may take months to find a qualified candidate, he added.

The customers have changed through the years as well. Many are new, sometimes having heard of the place from a colleague or friend, and probably just as many are from multiple generations of the same family, he said. Most of the customers come from Cherry Hill, but some come from Marlton and Mount Laurel, he said.

IF YOU GO:

Conte Brothers Automotive is at 1415 Brace Road in Cherry Hill and is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The service station’s phone number is 856-428-4440. Mohrfeld’s Sunoco is at 1605 Kings Highway East in Cherry Hill and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The service station’s phone number is 856-428-7025.

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