WOOD RIVER – Pro Automotive Services will celebrate 35 years of business with an open house this weekend.
From 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, community members can stop by Pro Automotive Services in Wood River for food, attendance prizes and games. Owners Mike and Jennifer Baggett expressed their excitement to share the 35-year milestone with the community.
“It’s been an adventure,” Mike said. “My dad told me a long time ago, if you find something that you know you love to do, you’ll never work a day in your life. I don’t feel that I’ve worked for 35 years. It’s just something I enjoy doing.”
On Sept. 13, community members can enjoy free hotdogs, chips, soda and Dippin’ Dots. Those who are up to the challenge can shoot a hole-in-one on a 35-foot putt to win a free oil change. There will also be attendance prizes and additional games for kids to enjoy.
Mike and Jennifer are eager to celebrate. While the business is marking 35 years, their passion goes far beyond that.
Growing up, Mike always loved tinkering with bicycles, mini bikes, motorcycles and go-karts. The “progression [to cars] just came naturally” as he aged.
“I’ve always been inclined to do anything mechanical, take it apart, figure it out, put it back together, make it better,” he shared. “Working on cars and trucks just seemed natural to me.”
Mike and his father opened Pro Automotive Services together in 1990. Five years later, Mike and Jennifer bought it from his father and moved to their current location at 1095 E. Edwardsville Road in Wood River.
Jennifer took over the books in 2010, keeping its legacy as a true family business. She noted that it’s been a joy to watch the business grow, and they’re pleased to offer their services to the community.
“We’re very appreciative of the support of the community,” Jennifer said. “It’s been exciting, just growing it. When I came, it was just Mike and one technician, and now we’ve got six technicians and two people in the office and Mike and I. It’s been fun watching it grow and Mike and I doing it together, side by side.”
Mike added that Pro Automotive Services is co-branded with NAPA, which means their customers have access to warranties and perks that other auto repair shops can’t offer. He noted that while car repairs and maintenance can be inconvenient for drivers, Pro Automotive Services works hard to make it “as painless as possible” for customers by addressing their concerns, offering loaner cars if applicable, and keeping it affordable.
The Pro Automotive Services team hopes to welcome many Riverbend residents out to the open house on Sept. 13 to share more about their services and enjoy the day. They look forward to celebrating their work and toasting to another 35 years.
“I don’t plan on quitting,” Mike added. “People ask me all the time, ‘When are you going to retire?’ I keep telling them, ‘What do I need to retire from?’ I don’t work. It’s something I enjoy. It’s a passion.”
For more information about the open house event, click here. Visit their official website at ProAutomotiveServices.com or their official Facebook page for more information about the business and their offerings.
