A+ Automotive Open For Business In Bourbon

After 57 years as Ralph’s OK Service, the sky blue garage overlooking Interstate 44 in Bourbon switched over to A+ Automotive in January 2021.

Owner Dave Gibson purchased the business from Ralph Breese and is offering a variety of services, including auto, motorcycle and even small engine repairs.

“Looking at the market, there were few shops that are repairing small engines,” said Gibson, a Wisconsin native and former Marine.

A+ Automotive also offers detailing, state inspections, AV installation and tire service, a one-stop shop for every need.

Gibson served in the Marine Corps for a decade and has been stationed across the globe. He began in North Carolina, moved to Okinawa, Japan and then to Norfolk, Va.

After leaving the service, Gibson and his family were looking for a place to settle down. He had taken trips from Scott Air Force Base in Illinois to Ft. Leonard Wood and Bourbon caught his attention.

“I had always liked this area,” Gibson said. He didn’t know much about it, but the location was perfect.

Gibson has spent the last five years developing  A Zoo For You, a mobile pony ride and petting zoo company owned by his wife Crystal Gibson. In January, they took the plunge into the world of engine repairs and it has gone well.

“Business has been steady,” he said. “I was a little worried at first because we started during that bad cold snap in February. There weren’t that many customers. But more and more familiar faces are coming in. Our customers are wowed by the changes we’ve made.”

A+ Automotive is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

“We noticed that a lot of our customers have blue-collar jobs and they aren’t able to get anything done before 5 p.m. And not a lot of places are open on the weekends.” he said. Gibson is hoping to expand inside and outside the garage.

A+ Automotive sits on a property with 10 acres in the back. He’s considering using the acreage as a paintball course and potentially a haunted walk through the woods during October.

Back in the garage, Gibson said he has been toying with auto repair classes for the general public. The classes would focus on basic vehicle maintenance.

“There is a giant veil surrounding garages,” Gibson said. “People don’t get much of an option when they go to a mechanic. It’s either listen or your car doesn’t get fixed. We want to demonstrate basic things that will extend the life of your vehicle.”

Gibson and his family are eager to be a part of the community. “We enjoy being in Bourbon and want to provide a service for the people here,” he said.

A+ Automotive is located at 9471 North Service Road in Bourbon. Contact them at 573-732-4451.