Auto Repair Shop History

Walter Jobe founded Jobe’s Repair Shop in 1948 when he and his family moved to the Napa Valley from Crookston, Minnesota.  Walt and his son Lloyd found themselves serving a very diverse clientele, including cattle ranchers, farmers, fleets from the U.S. Mail Service, lumber yards, and PG&E.

Sometime around 1953, the auto repair shop moved to its present location in a World War II era “Quonset Hut” located at 1824 Yajome Street.  After two additions over the years, the auto repair business currently operates in 5,600 square feet on just over an acre.

Providing a livelihood for many families, Jobe’s has always been a family business.  After Walt’s retirement and Lloyd’s death, the car repair shop was purchased in 1982 by father and son team Duane and Greg McGrath.  Duane, Lloyd’s brother-in-law, had worked at Jobe’s as an auto mechanic since 1955 and Greg was brought up around the automotive repair business.

The name was changed to MCM Jobe’s Repair to reflect the addition of Greg’s automotive machine shop, McGrath’s Custom Machine, which he owned and operated in El Sobrante, CA.  After Duane’s retirement in 1995, the auto repair shop business was incorporated.  The most recent change in operations has been the remodeling required to accommodate our high performance smog dynomometer equipment.

Greg is proud to have family involved in the auto repair shop business.  His sister Kereena keeps the books, and another generation steps up with his son Jason as technician and daughter Brandy in customer service.  There have been many challenges and changes over the years, but we still live by our motto: “If you’re happy, tell somebody.  If you’re not, tell us!”

Continuing to serve a diverse clientele from the Napa Valley and surrounding areas, our commitment to customer satisfaction, continuing education, and quality work through the years has earned us a very strong reputation in the community.

Awards and Certifications:

  • Recognized as “Auto Repair Professionals of the Year” in 2000-2001 by the Editorial Staff of the Consumer Business Review
  • Awarded “Best of Napa Valley” through community input at KVON/KVYN in 1998
  • All of our technicians are ASE certified, two of which are Master Auto Technicians
  • We are a certified brake and light station
  • We are a Star Certified, Test Only & Smog Repair Station
  • We participate in the state Consumer Assistance Program (CAP)