Peak Auto is a fixture on the corner of W. Colorado Avenue and 18th Street. The two-bay independent auto repair shop has been around almost as long as its current owner, Jacob Cohen, has been alive.
“It’s been here for 30 years,” Cohen told the Bulletin, adding, “Actually, the building has been here for almost 60 years; it was a gas station. So, it’s been a part of this community for a very long time.”
Cohen spoke with the Bulletin in the shop’s small lobby in the company of Cohen’s friendly dog, Koby.
“He’s part-time,” Cohen joked.
Peak Auto provides expert auto and light truck repair services including oil changes, brakes, tires, engine replacement, suspension, general maintenance and diagnostics.
“We’re not here to nickel and dime people,” Cohen said. “We’re just honest mechanics. We just believe in transparency and showing people what’s wrong and … letting them decide if it’s something they want to take care of.”
Cohen bought Peak Auto in early 2024; he recently opened a second location at 2317 Rand Ave.
Even with the additional capacity of a second shop, Cohen said, “We have enough work to keep us busy for weeks.”
“There’s so much demand, especially in this neighborhood, because of our reviews and how well we’ve done through the years, and the trust we’ve built in the community,” Cohen said. “I had to tell people, ‘Hey, sorry, it’s going to be two weeks before I can get to your car.’ And for most people, it’s their only transportation.”
He added, “I realized that was our sticking point, only being able to work on two cars at a time … so I opened up another shop that has a huge indoor space.”
Cohen said he frequently sends people who come into the original shop to the new one so they can be seen same-day.
Cohen has always been an entrepreneur. In his eary twenties, he owned an insurance agency in his native Texas, but realized it wasn’t what he wanted to do longterm. He decided to relocate to Colorado Springs and start a Turo car rental business in which he was the owner, mechanic and detail cleaner.
However, he got tired of clients being rough on the vehicles and the amount of time he spent cleaning up from this. So he went back to the insurance world while he reassessed his options.
“My mom was looking for businesses in Denver,” he said. “I didn’t even realize you could hop online and see people selling a business.”
Cohen started looking online as well; that’s how he saw Peak Auto was for sale.
“I thought, ‘I really love customer service. I love people. I love cars; I’m a big car guy. I like doing mechanic work; I’m a tech guy,’” Cohen remembered.
Cohen met the previous owner and worked for him for almost six months, getting a feel for the business. During that time, he saw a lot of opportunities to modernize the workflow and create efficiencies and, once the purchase was complete, started implementing those changes. He’s kept on experienced mechanics, like Trevor Field, who worked under the previous owner.
As he steers this legacy business into the future, Cohen said he and his team are guided by a philosophy of integrity.
“I always try to make the best decision, no matter what it is in my life, in terms of what’s right, not just for myself but for the other person – whether it’s a spouse, family member, friend or customer. I can always trust I did the right thing in the first place and I’ll continue to do the right thing. I think that’s important.”
For more information, go to PeakAutoService.com.
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