Pete Harksell can’t remember the exact moment he developed a passion for cars. But he suspects it began when he worked as a kid at his dad’s service station off I-5 in Ferndale in the 1960’s and 70’s.

Fast forward to July 1, 1991, and Pete’s Auto Repair – founded by Harksell and his wife/business partner Nita – opened its doors for business off Portal Way. For over 32 years, the couple have helped locals get their cars back on the road.

“There’s a satisfaction in fixing a car that doesn’t run, and making it run (again),” Pete said. “We’re providing transportation for somebody who needs it.”

Both Pete and Nita come from long-time Whatcom County families. Their great grandparents moved to the region in the late 1880s, right around when Washington became a state. They both attended Ferndale High School in the early 1970s – Nita graduated in 1973, Pete in 1975. Pete played for the Golden Eagles’ golf and basketball teams, while Nita sang in choir.

Pete said he had fond memories of his time at FHS, although he acknowledges it was a very different place 50 years ago.

“It was a lot smaller!” he said, laughing. “I remember it being fun, I had a good group of friends.”

Pete learned most of his car-repair skills from working in his dad’s station as a kid. But at FHS, he took welding and fabrication classes, and both he and Nita gained some business know-how from the school’s bookkeeping classes.

Pete’s dad leased the service station for 22 years before the oil company decided to convert it into a mini-mart. So he purchased land off Portal Way, and the Harksells built Pete’s Auto Repair from the ground up.

For years, the Harksells were an effective team. While Pete and his crew fixed customers’ cars, Nita handled the finances and customer service. Because she wasn’t as skilled with auto repair, Nita would always check with Pete about the specifics of the job so she could better explain it to the customer.

“I had a lot of ladies who felt I knew more about cars than the technicians did,” Nita said. “But no, if you put me under the hood, I know nothing!”

Now, Pete’s Auto Repair has six employees other than the Harksells, so their roles have shifted to supervisors. Since 1991, their business’ neighborhood has dramatically changed, as more and more businesses, homes and apartments join them on Portal Way.

“You can’t say we’re a small community anymore, because we’ve grown so much in the past 30 years!” Nita said of Ferndale.

Pete has stayed active in the community, joining the Ferndale Kiwanis and Ferndale Chamber of Commerce. He has also been a member of the Old Settler’s Association and the City of Ferndale’s Parks, Recreation, and Trails Advisory Board. He was even named the Chamber’s Member of the Year in 2016!

“It’s a way to stay involved in the community,” Pete said of the Chamber. “Not only does it get your business’ name out there, but when you donate your time, it’s a way to give back to the community for supporting our business for so long.”