This Mechanic Makes House Calls: Dave’s Small Equipment Repair Provides Unique Service

STORY BY JOE JANCSURAK PHOTOS BY DAVE’S SMALL EQUIPMENT REPAIR

For those of us who aren’t mechanically inclined, the hassles associated with lawn and outdoor equipment repairs begins with transporting the machine to a reputable mechanic. That no longer need be the case, thanks to Dave’s Small Equipment Repair, launched by Leland couple Dave Bodoh and Dawn Flack, parents of three adult children.

A mechanic with more than 40 years of professional experience, more if you include pro bono repairs for neighbors and friends when he was a teenager in Oshkosh, Wis., Bodoh brings his experience and tools to his customers’ locations. There, wherever there happens to be, Bodoh fixes and maintains myriad equipment, including but not limited to, chainsaws, edgers, 4-wheelers and ATVs, generators, go karts, golf carts, lawn mowers leaf blowers, mopeds, paint sprayers, mortar mixers, stump grinders and weed eaters.

“I did my first teardown with my dad when I was 6 years old,” Bodoh said. “We took apart an outboard engine in the basement and got oil all over the floor. Mom was not happy. Three years later I was given a go kart and there was always something for me to fix on it. By age 13, I was working on any lawn mower or small engine that I could get my hands on and have been ever since.”

With Dawn, whose years of office experience serve her well as the startup’s business manager, the venture is “100 percent mobile,” welcome news for anyone ever having had to pay to have their equipment picked up, only to wait weeks for a costly repair. “I can come to your home and have most lawn mowers up and running in an hour. I also provide a lawn-mower service special that includes filters, plugs, and blade sharpening,” Bodob said.

While Dave has the mechanical know-how and Dawn the office management skills, they credit the Brunswick Community College Small Business Center, and its director, April Scott, with equipping them with the tools necessary for being new business owners.

“April spent a lot of time with us, leading us through the steps for setting up a business,” Bodoh said. “She showed us what we needed to file, how to file it and where to go for our LLC license, and what we needed to know about insurance for our business. And when we had follow-up questions, the response was always immediate.”

Dave said he will continue performing mobile repairs and maintenance as his business expands, but that he also plans to add a mechanic and permanent building in the next three to five years.

In the meantime, he and Dawn expect to continue doing all they can to make and keep their customers happy, with Dave noting that they just received their 13th 5-star Google review. “We're proud of our accomplishments and look forward to continued success.”

So, if you have small equipment needing a repair and/or maintenance, call or text Dave at 910 782-2752 or email davecanfixit2@gmail.com.