Pueblo, Colo., Car Detailing Shop Aids with Neighborhood Redevelopment. - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

By Gail Pitts, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Jun. 20--Jerry Santos' American Detailing shop has become something of a poster business for the Minnequa Redevelopment Corp.'s cleanup plans for Bessemer.

Santos moved the shop to 1400 E. Evans just two months ago, but the effect on the corner of Evans and Central is a light-year difference.

Gone are the junk cars and stacks of miscellaneous auto parts piled on the property; gone is the graffiti on the buildings.

In their place is a neat gravel lot surrounded by a secure chain-link fence. The building has been painted inside and out and reroofed. Several cars are parked in the lot, but they seldom stay overnight.

As Dave Balsick, president of Minnequa Redevelopment Corp., put it, 'He's the best example was had in the past couple of months of what a property owner can do to turn around and make it a place people want to come and do business. It shows what can be done with one lot at a time.'

He praised the cleanup of the old junky lot and the hard work Santos, his son and friends have done.

Tuesday, Ray Hurt brought his '37 Toyota-red Olds coupe for Santos to give him some tips on how to keep the engine clean. (Hurt will be entered in the Street Rod show this weekend.)

Santos moved American Detailing only a half-block from a shared lot on Routt and is delighted with the exposure the busy Evans and access to Interstate 25 give his business.

His son, Jesse, turned him on to detailing after he took early retirement from Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo where he'd been a mental health worker for 19 years.

A Pueblo native and graduate of Central High, he served four years in security police with the U.S. Air Force and came half-a-term short of graduating from the University of Southern Colorado in psychology. During his career at the state hospital he regularly worked security at the Colorado State Fair and the dog track.

After he retired, he and Jesse -- who had been detailing cars at another shop -- put their heads together and decided there was a market demand for their services, where customers 'wouldn't have to wait a week or two to get in,' said Jesse who is shop manager.

'I try not to keep keep them (cars) overnight,' the elder Santos said. If he does, he parks them in the two-bay shop.

In addition, to waxing and full-detail work, the business can supply accessories of all kinds, from ground effects kits to custom wheels and specialize in gold-plating car emblems.

Santos credits Jesse's friends for helping spruce up the property. 'Six or seven of them came over and said 'You buy the paint and we'll paint it.' '

American Detailing is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and on Sunday by appointment and Santos says he will also pick up and deliver as far away as the industrial park. Phone is 565-2782.

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(c) 2001, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.