John Hynes is pictured in front of John’s Auto Service, in Winnebago, above. Hynes is now the owner of the business, which was previously owned by Steve Miner and titled Miner’s Auto Service. Hynes took ownership of the business in early June of this year.

The new sign on the business at 104 North Main Street, in Winnebago, may say John’s Auto Service, but the owner, John Hynes, was actually given celebrity status at this same location a little over 20 years ago.

Steve Miner, who previously operated Miner Auto Service from the same location, explains, “John’s father, Tim, was working for me at the time and when Tim’s wife, Judi, gave birth to John, we put a big banner up on the building announcing his coming into the world.”

Of course, nobody realized at the time John would one day become the owner of the auto service business.

John graduated from Blue Earth Area High School in 2018.

“I officially took ownership on June 1 of this year,” he comments. “I had previously worked for Steve part-time for a few years.”

Even after working for Miner for a couple of years, he had no idea he would have the opportunity to purchase the business.

“I had another employee who could have purchased it,” Miner says. “I do not think his heart was in it. I think John was more mature and ready to undertake operating a business. He had been helping me when I had both knees replaced.

“I knew then I was going to retire. I wanted to sell the business.”

Miner was willing to sell everything, including the business, the building and all of the tools. The fact John had some business savvy and that selling to him would keep the operation local helped make the decision an easy one for Miner.

“Tim actually worked for me for a number of years and I always got along well with him and it is the same way now with John,” Miner shares.

“But don’t go saying I’m like my dad,” John Hynes replies, laughing.

Now, more than three months since the business changed hands, the new owner and former owner still get along great.

“Sometimes Steve will stop in to use the pressure washer or for something else,” the younger Hynes notes. “He is always welcome here.”

Hynes has two employees, a mechanic and another person he is quite familiar with.

“My dad works for me now,” he shares.

Tim Hynes operated the tow truck for Miner for many years but the business no longer offers that service.

As for working for his son, Tim Hynes offers these comments, “Any family business or any time family members work together, that situation has its own set of dynamics. John and I get along very well and I fully support what he is doing.”

John Hynes is doing more than operating and owning a business even though he is only in his early 20s.

“I am still going to college,” he explains. “I leave for classes in Winona on Monday night and I come back Tuesday night. When I graduate I will have a degree in business and a teaching degree.”

Going to school and operating their own business may overwhelm some people, but not Hynes.

“I just make it work,” he says.

And when it comes to the work his shop is willing to do, it is a pretty good list.

“We sell tires, batteries and we perform regular maintenance and repairs,” Hynes states. “We work on older cars as well as late-model cars. I have worked on a lot of classic cars.”

Hynes not only enjoys working on the old cars, he also enjoys owning them.

“I probably own 20 older cars and they all run,” he notes. “I really liked the Olds Cutlass Supreme from the late 70s. I also have a couple of older Monte Carlos.”

When asked what the main thing is that car owners fail to do, he does not hesitate in his answer.

“Changing oil. People do not change the oil in their vehicles as often as they should,” Hynes states. “They put too many miles on in between oil changes. I think people just kind of forget, and all of the sudden instead of being a few miles past the time when they should have changed their oil, they have gone way past the time when they should have changed it.”

He does say the times between oil changes have changed over the years.

“It was not that long ago a person was supposed to change the oil in their car every 2,000-3,000 miles,” he says. “Now, with the emergence of synthetic oils and the use of a high-quality oil filter, many vehicles can go 5,000 miles, or sometimes even longer, between oil changes.”

Tim Hynes mentions a difference he sees today from the time when he first started driving.

“It used to be if you got 70,000 miles on a vehicle you would be thinking about trading it for a new one. If it got up to around 100,000 miles on the odometer, you started questioning if you should make the trip to Blue Earth from Winnebago,” Tim Hynes comments with a smile on his face. “Now, we service so many vehicles which have over 200,000 miles on them and are still running great.”

John Hynes believes he knows why some vehicles are around for so long.

“Those are the people who change their oil when they should,” he says.

With winter approaching Hynes mentions there are some other regular maintenance items to consider before the weather turns colder.

“You should check your battery, your coolant and exhaust system,” he shares. “And you should always make sure your tires are properly inflated.”

And how is he enjoying owning his own business so far?

“It is going well. I enjoy the work and I enjoy the customers,” Hynes shares. “I love the old-time feeling of operating a business in a small town.”