Hello, and welcome to Polito’s Auto Service!You never know what a little bit of hard work can bring. John Polito was 12 years old, not even an official teenager, when he first started working at a Sunoco gas station in Broomall, Pa. John credits his supervisor at the time, a stern but very skilled auto mechanic, with giving him the skills he needed to excel in auto repair. John was trusted with the responsibility of running the gas station whenever his supervisor was away. In the 1960s, very few cars had air conditioning. The station he worked for was one of only a few in the county that installed and repaired air conditioning systems for automobiles. The station installed 60 to 70 AC units per month on every make and model imaginable. And so, after gaining additional expertise working at Amoco Transmissions, John had the confidence to run a successful gas station and he decided to open his own shop at the age of 20 in 1965 in Newtown Square, Pa. Polito’s Auto Service has always been a family business and that could not have been truer than when John’s father worked side by side with him until his father passed away in 1978. However, since then John has seen many family members working with him, including his son Mike Polito, his son-in-law John Simond, and his grandson Jake Simond. His grandson Jake actually left a promising career in engineering to be a part of the team as an auto-technician. His outstanding expertise in computer diagnostics has been a big part of their recent success. As for the building they work in, John Polito built his first garage in 1980, but not without conflict. The township refused to give him a permit because they argued the garage would be constructed within a residential zone. He discovered 1,000 feet from the middle of 252 was zoned commercial and that 1,000 feet included the intended site for his garage as well as part of the kitchen of his residence. After the township realized their error, John was able to build his garage, taking on loans with high interest rates in the process. At a later date, John built an office and two additional bays where a sheep pen used to be. Despite his wife being a "gas station widow" because of his long days at work, John and his wife have enjoyed 47 years of marriage. The marriage has benefited from the shop being less than 100 feet from his home. One of John’s proudest memories was when he installed the blower for an organ at a nearby church. Thanks to John’s ingenuity, building a cradle for the blower, the building did not shake when the organ played. It was an exciting project to work on as the men and women of the church united around a project to save a beautiful organ.</td> |
Testimonials
“In life you need three things: A good friend. A good doctor and a good mechanic! Without a doubt I can recommend a good mechanic in John Politio and crew in Newtown Square! I have trusted them with all of my auto needs for over 15 years and have never been disappointed…never! Rick Marshall, pastor Springton Lake Presbyterian Church P.S. They are so trusted that my son Eric brings his car to Polito’s and he lives in Brooklyn, NY!
Charles Wagner, founder of Gramazin.com. |
Honesty, good work and great stories to boot! John, Mike, John and Jake are the best.
“I love these guys! They took care of my parents cars for years! I appreciate John driving my widowed mother back and forth from her house when her car was being repaired. I have complete confidence in their integrity and know that when I step on to their property I feel welcomed, like a member of the family. I have never had reason to question the quality of their work, either.”