| Timmins Garage was founded in the early 1920's by Tony and Leo Mascioli. Operating out of the original location on Algonquin Blvd. (what later became the CIL Explosives office, next to the Empire Hotel), they sold such classics as Peerless, Studebaker, Essex and Packard.The relationship with General Motors began in 1925. In 1927, Timmins Garage was incorporated and thus started the history of the business which we see today. Soon after it's incorporation, Timmins Garage moved to 8 Spruce St.S. This location was an old boarding house which was continually expanded to meet the needs of their clients. Oldtimers will remember the old facility with ramps leading down into the underground body shop and the huge neon sign which hung out over Algonquin Blvd. The body shop was in cramped quarters, so an underground turntable was used to turn cars into the different bays. In the mid 1960's, the new car department outgrew the old building, so land was acquired on Cedar Street (the present site of the Daily Press building), where new and used vehicles were sold.The old building still housed the service department. Normand Mascioli had become active in the buisiness in the early 1950's and, by this time had become president of the company. | With the expansion of Timmins and the discovery of Texas Gulf (Kidd Creek), he knew that the old building would have to be replaced sooner or later. The construction of the new ONR underpass in the mid 1970's meant the loss of access to the underground body shop. Timmins Garage was prepared, however, as land had been acquired on Riverside Drive to construct a new facility. Building plans were finalized and on April 26, 1978 the new building was officially opened. The new facility featured the space and technology required to service their growing number of customers. With 11 mechanical, 8 body and 7 prep shop bays, the dealership was one of the biggest around. The lot next to the garage on Riverside Drive was added in 1982 to house the used car lot. In 1987, a truck lot was opened(next to River's Hydraulics) to help service the growing truck market. In 1990, an addition at the rear of the building allowed for the reconditioning and preparation of new and used vehicles in a spacious and modern facility. In the fall of 1991, the house next to the dealership on Shirley Street was acquired and demolished so that the complete new car and truck department could be situated on one lot. In 1992, Timmins Garage became the GEO distributor for the Timmins area. (GEO was the import inspired line of vehicles from GM.) |