DRIVE selects Fresno, California, shop for its August Spotlight

Aug. 21, 2023

Keith's Auto Repair Owner Keith Mayou is the third generation of his family to work on cars, and it’s easy to see that continuing his family’s legacy is one of the things he’s most proud of.

Chase Clough

Related To: DRIVE

With a dedicated team and service that excels, Keith’s Auto Repair is the place to go. Owner Keith Mayou is the third generation of his family to work on cars, and it’s easy to see that continuing his family’s legacy is one of the things he’s most proud of. He says it helps him feel closer to his roots and he’s able to work toward a goal shared by his family.

The shop is in Fresno, California, one of the major cities in the San Joaquin Valley. “I like Fresno because of the access I have to a multitude of recreational activities,” he says. With Yosemite only an hour and a half away, he notes it’s easy to take a weekend drive to visit one of our country’s most spectacular national parks. While there he’s able to hike, bike, and take in the scenic views. When he’s out of the shop or not in the great outdoors, Keith is buying and selling merchandise online.

Since 1987, the staff at Mayou’s shop have been dedicated to serving their community the best they can. The shop opened up with just two bays and has been growing ever since. After only five years of being open, they moved into a shop with four bays. And after 11 years, they relocated again! Customers know they can always count on this shop’s committed team of five to fix their car in an efficient and caring manner.  Being a business owner comes with its own set of challenges, but it also comes with more positives than Mayou can count. He loves owning his own shop. He says, “Before I owned my shop, I was burnt out on dealerships. I hated the way they treated their customers.” Now that he’s in control, he makes sure all of his clients are treated with the respect they deserve. As he puts it, “I get to treat people the way I like being treated.”

He also loves the camaraderie that auto shop owners have with each other. “I’ve been through some tough times in this industry," Mayou says. “Speaking with my fellow shop owners helps us find out that we all have the same issues. Together, we know how to resolve them.” One way he says he finds this community is by being a DRIVE client, including attending the annual DRIVE EXPO, where he is able to network with the professionals in this industry.  Before becoming a DRIVE client, Mayou says, he was always running around and putting out fires. Then he joined DRIVE and, as he puts it, “My advisor kicked me into gear. He helped me and is still helping me to grow my business.” Mayou is proud of how far he has come and can’t wait to see where he has left to go. He used to be tied to his shop, never having a moment to step away and be the owner. He was working in the shop rather than on it. “Now, I’m not chained to the business,” he says. 