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Service Center, A Community Fixture, Closes After 75 Years

SAINT CLAIR — A longtime service center in Schuylkill County is closed for good. For 75 years, Johnnie’s Servicenter in Saint Clair fixed a lot more...
johnnies service center

SAINT CLAIR -- A longtime service center in Schuylkill County is closed for good.

For 75 years, Johnnie's Servicenter in Saint Clair fixed a lot more than just cars.

"This was home."

Johnnie Sninsky started the family business back in 1939. When he passed away in 2008, his son Dennis took over. Sninsky says it wasn't easy running the shop but that the customers his friends kept him going.

"Service is what this business was built at. Service was my father's main concern. Treat people like you want to be treated," Dennis Sninsky said.

But times changed and bigger service centers took away business from Johnnie's and it was hard to make ends meet.

"We had to make a choice, keep struggling or lock the door."

On Christmas Eve, the owner turned the key for the last time.

"We just can't do it anymore. You have to move on and just realize how blessed you were to have it for that long," said Kieran Sninsky.

The old Johnnie's Servicenter opened 1939 and while still working at that shop, he built another in 1950. That's where they serviced cars in the Saint Clair area ever since.

"Very nice place to congregate. We had fun as youngsters here in the '60s," said Matthew Buletza.

Saint Clair residents say the place was a mix between service center, playground, and breakfast club.

"Pretty much it would just be a lot of old guys from the town who would sit around, crack jokes, make coffee, just do that," recalled Kevin Sninsky.

The owner says he knows his father Johnnie is proud.

"I'm sure that he's saying it was time."

The building on East Hancock Street is now up for sale.

"I would very much like whoever gets this place to continue some sort of service for the community."

Sninsky does have one more thing he wants to say to his former customers and that's "happy motoring."

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