by Sally Sedgwick
As a teenager, Gene Baker was into all things cars – owning and repairing as many as seven at one time. His future was set.
Then one day that changed.
An accident damaged his foot so that he could not stand for extended times. Undaunted, he went to Arizona State University and earned a degree in marketing and finance. That would lead him into the banking industry, which in turn led him to northern Minnesota and Grand Rapids. There he and his wife Jemma raised three boys, now ages 18 to 28.
In 2017 Baker retired after a career with Wells Fargo and Northview Bank where he served as president at four locations. The family moved to their cabin in the Togo area where he had a sawmill and shop.
One day a good friend, John Ostendorf, asked Baker to give him some advice as a banker on selling 6 & 14 Repair, a repair shop that serviced everything from tractors to logging equipment. It was housed in a spacious 5,000 sq. ft. building built by John and his wife Meryl west of Bigfork, and had some unique energy-saving features, like in-floor heating, efficient air conditioning and blown-in insulation.
Gene liked what he saw. By the end of the day the shop had new prospective owners – the Bakers.
His vision for the shop was to not only provide services to area loggers farmers and truckers – for instance, the shop can make any size hydraulic hose on site and carries most needed fluids – but transform its main mission into becoming a hub for automotive repairs for almost any brand of car and truck – domestic, European or Asian. That includes brands like Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Honda, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai and Nissan as well as Ford, Dodge or Chevrolet. It also includes electric hybrids and even fully electric cars like Tesla.
To do this the shop has some advanced scanning equipment, since newer cars have extensive built-in computer systems. Even replacing a battery might require entering information into a car’s computer to make the battery operation safe. Baker is developing videos for a YouTube channel on some of these tricky repairs.
I addition to scanning equipment, the shop has also invested in wheel alignment equipment, which Baker believes is unique to the area. Baker credits their four technicians, however, with being their most valuable assets.
To reflect the new services, the shop has a new name, Itasca Automotive. Recently it was named a NAPA Auto Care center.
“ Our hope is to become a center of repair for our community residents as the need grows for families to maintain their transportation in northern Minnesota harsh climate,” Baker says. “As rural residents we all travel greater distances than our urban counterparts. A rural location has one important advantage to a location in a large market. Lower overhead! If you’re willing to drive a little, you can save a lot!”
Itasca Automotive is located at 43576 Co. Rd. 14, Bigfork, MN 56628, at the intersection of Co. Rd. 14 and Highway 6. Contact the shop at (218) 743-4000.
