New mechanic shop opens at former Whyte’s location

Hank Tarr has had a love for mechanics since his days in high school. That passion will be implemented as he runs Koskinen’s Two Auto, also known as K2 Auto, on Main Street in Freeville. It is the location of the former longstanding Whyte’s Auto Service, which closed last July (tinyurl.com/yd6wj277).

Tarr co-owns the new car repair shop with Jamie Stevens, who also owns Koskinen’s Towing and Repair in Lansing.

“We’re nicknaming [the second shop] K2 because it separates the two a little bit,” Tarr said.

Stevens approached Tarr at the beginning of the year with the opportunity to be in charge of K2, and Tarr gladly accepted the offer by saying, “I’m on board.”

Tarr has lived in Ithaca for most of his life, with the exception of living in California “for a few years” to work for an off-road dirt bike racing team. From high school, he worked in a variety of mechanic shops for about eight years before going into the restaurant service industry for over 20 years.

Despite a hiatus from the mechanic industry for a couple of decades, Tarr worked on cars and bikes on the side. He even did some body work on his first-ever car, a 1968 Chevelle.

“A lot of love for mechanics came from that,” Tarr said.

K2 in Freeville, which opened its doors Feb. 21, seeks to carry on the legacy of Jim Whyte. Whyte owned Whyte’s Auto Service for close to 40 years after his father Robert owned the shop for 30 years.

“I want to keep Jim’s legacy as best as I can,” Tarr said. “Everyone that comes in [respects Whyte’s]. I want to be fair and treat people right. Everyone talks highly of Jim. I want to continue to do that.”

Jim, in fact, assisted Tarr in the first few days the shop was open.

“Jim has been nothing but great to us,” Tarr added. “He was answering phones and ordering parts for us a couple of times.”

K2 runs like a typical mechanic shop, Tarr said.

“We do everything except rebuilds [motors, etc.],” he added.

Tarr noted the new shop in Freeville currently “just works on cars.” When Whyte’s Auto Service was open, the shop repaired cars and sold vehicles at the same time.

Tarr said the shop will “eventually sell cars,” adding it depends on when it receives a sales license. He also noted the shop currently doesn’t do state inspections.

“When we get our inspection license in the next few weeks, we’ll basically be a repair shop,” Tarr said.

When Tarr and Stevens incorporated the new shop in Freeville, they wanted to make “good business, a happy face and having the right people out in the shop.”

“It should be a good transformation,” Tarr said. “It’s nice to help people. The last thing we want to do is take advantage of people. We’re not going to sell you something you don’t need. I’m all about being honest.”

Tarr encouraged residents of Freeville residents and the surrounding communities to stop by the shop, even if it’s not for an appointment.

“Grab a cup of coffee and get to know us,” he said.

Dryden Dispatch appears every Wednesday in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Upcoming meetings in the Dryden area

The Dryden Town Board will be holding its monthly abstract and agenda meeting at 6 p.m. March 10 at its Town Hall at 93 E. Main St. The Dryden Town Board will then hold its business meeting the following week, at 6 p.m. March 10 at the same location.

The Village of Dryden Board of Trustees will have its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. March 16 at the Village Hall on 16 South St.

The monthly Board of Trustees meeting for the village of Freeville is slated for 7:30 p.m. March 8 at the Village Hall on 5 Factory St. Also for Freeville, a budget work session in regard to the 2022-23 village budget is scheduled for 9 a.m. March 24 at the Village Hall.

Dryden High School Drama Club to present ‘She Loves Me’

The Dryden High School Drama Club will present the play “She Loves Me” on March 11 and 12 at the auditorium at 11 Freeville Rd. The show on March 11 will begin at 7 p.m. There will be two shows, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., on March 12.

Tickets cost $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. For more information, contact the Dryden Central School District at (607) 844-8694.