West Seattle businesses: Changes at Barnecut’s

FIRST REPORT, 4:06 PM FRIDAY: This story is a work in progress, but we wanted to share what we know so far – Barnecut’s Service Station, long located at 41st/Admiral Way, has been sold, and today is the last day it’s doing auto-repair work, according to the person on duty we spoke with this afternoon during a visit to the station to check out reader tips. The gas station itself will remain open until July 1st. What happens after that, the person on duty couldn’t tell us; we’re trying to find out – nothing has turned up in public records yet.

9:31 PM NOTE: No additional info yet – multiple inquiries out. But since someone mentioned the mural on the back of the building, facing the south side of the Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) parking lot, paying tribute to the service station’s historic look, we went by for a quick photo, added above.

MONDAY FOLLOWUP: Barnecut’s confirms it’s closing after this month. We asked today if there’s any sort of an event planned for longtime customers to come by and say thanks and goodbye; not currently, but we’ll be checking back.

Cait June 14, 2013 (4:14 pm)

Nooooo!! :(

onion June 14, 2013 (4:22 pm)

Damn. Reliable and reasonably priced auto repairs just a short walk from our house. And always nice people to deal with, too.

Dhl June 14, 2013 (4:33 pm)

Wow!! Another small town institution being eaten up by big business, i.e. your beloved Safeway. This is the case where the big boys can sell their gas at their retail price which is lower than the small business’ wholesale price. West Seattle is no longer small town and it is hard to get used to it.

Phoebe June 14, 2013 (4:44 pm)

Barnecut’s kept my first car “alive” for years! Thank you for the many years of good service; you will certainly be missed by many!

Phoebe June 14, 2013 (4:45 pm)

Dhl: Touche!

Sheila Gustafson June 14, 2013 (4:49 pm)

Sigh. I loved this place…my grandfather wouldn’t buy his gas anywhere else…he had a brand new 1952 Ford (yes, and I am older than the car!) and I vividly remember going to Barnecut’s with him for fillups. And of course his hands never touched the nozzle for it was always first-class service by the attendant. Of course it was Standard Oil in those days. Yes, another one bites the dust.

shed22 June 14, 2013 (4:51 pm)

Another large apartment complex, please. West Seattle needs more of those.

let them swim June 14, 2013 (4:53 pm)

I’m following Tim where ever he goes next. Expert
car guy and trust-worthy. And I own Five Vehicles.
So sorry to see the era of “Barnecuts” end. Good luck to every-one that worked there-you all will be missed.

Dhl June 14, 2013 (5:08 pm)

Where are all the Safewayites going to go now to get their oil checked, their brake lights replaced, their flat tires changed and on and on. Since 1926 people were able to have their cars serviced by people they trusted. But what a RUN!! How many businesses last this long? Not many….and the Barnecuts and staff will be missed.

NW June 14, 2013 (5:11 pm)

Will be missed and agree completely with Dhl our small corner of Seattle is being pushed out by Big business ……. what do you do?

Rick June 14, 2013 (5:22 pm)

Our character is eroding bit by bit by bit. Before too much longer West Seattle will become “West” Seattle in the geographical sense only.

Busrider June 14, 2013 (5:28 pm)

Our family has been going to barnecuts for years starting with my grandparents. Hard to find another trusting mechanic. Thank you andy and dick!

Bsmomma June 14, 2013 (5:34 pm)

Tim is awesome! Honest and trustworthy. I know he already has another gig. They have the most beautiful accountant too!!! :) Love my AJ!

JanS June 14, 2013 (5:55 pm)

no comment….except, hope it doesn’t sit vacant for long

Kit June 14, 2013 (6:05 pm)

Maestro Motors…go there.

Sonoma June 14, 2013 (6:10 pm)

This used to be a “pretty” (relatively speaking) service station, with hanging baskets of colorful flowers. Anyone else remember thus?

trickycoolj June 14, 2013 (6:47 pm)

Any of the long-timers remember if there was a standard station on California and Charleston in the late 50s early 60s? I think that’s the one my Grandpa worked at. I’m going to have to ask if he remembers this one.

Diane June 14, 2013 (6:53 pm)

it’s the only station I could find in WS that did not charge for air; sorry to see it go; although, my friend Jan had a VERY bad experience there (kind of an understatement, huh Jan?)

CB June 14, 2013 (6:56 pm)

Seems like big business (Shell) already took care of the gas station piece. Prices are set by what Shell is charging for future sales. Don’t know why people are saying Safeway (which doesn’t have auto-service) is pushing out the auto-service business?

elisabeth June 14, 2013 (6:59 pm)

Sonoma, you can see what it used to look like on the back of the building: a large mural showing a quainter Barnecut’s that I remember from the late 80s.

Seattlite June 14, 2013 (7:08 pm)

As a 65 plus year old, I so appreciated that Barnecut’s offered a full service pump — attendant would pump the gas for you. Does anyone know if any other gas stations in WS have a full-service pump?

Thanks to Barnecut’s.

JanS June 14, 2013 (7:24 pm)

Diane, yes, it was VERY bad.

trickycoolj…there was a Chevron station on the NE corner of Calif. and Oregon, and IGA across the street that eventually became Schuck’s and is now the new development with Budget Cuts, etc.

zipline June 14, 2013 (7:26 pm)

A Texaco station please

dee June 14, 2013 (7:50 pm)

Jan S, thank you because any neg stuff is way off the mark of this great establishment. Live and learn.

Alki Area June 14, 2013 (8:00 pm)

Alki Auto Repair
Still in the West Seattle neighborhood. Small local business.

Laura June 14, 2013 (8:03 pm)

Red Mill!!!!! It’d be perfect!

JeffJ June 14, 2013 (8:09 pm)

They have been great with service on my car over the years, and friendly and helpful. It’s my only stop for gas, no matter the price. You will be missed, Barnecuts.

Faith4 June 14, 2013 (8:14 pm)

Please say it is not so! Our family has used them for many years and they have rescued us so many, many times. This really hurts. Where do we go now? Any suggestions anyone? Thanks. I need to check and see if I can get a copy of my records.

Salamander June 14, 2013 (8:22 pm)

I will miss Barnecut’s…they were always there to help with my car..end of an era. And it’s too bad people have to use this forum to share their negativity. Even sadder than the end of Barnecut’s if you ask me..

gina June 14, 2013 (8:22 pm)

dee…while I never did business with them again
, it’s not a time to badmouth them…

every business has neg stuff…stuff happens.

sam-c June 14, 2013 (8:33 pm)

we didn’t go there for regular service but they were very helpful on a couple occasions when we discovered nails in our tires. (once on Christmas even) thanks!

WSN_Helen June 14, 2013 (9:14 pm)

Seattlite – the Chevron on 35th & Holden has full-service if you’re searching.

Diana O. McLeod June 14, 2013 (9:56 pm)

Every business needs to make the decisions that are best for them. This company is a West Seattle institution and will be sorely missed by me. They have served me well for over 25 years, caring for personal vehicles and company trucks. The best personal service, the best technicians, the best mechanics, the best neighbors. I am fortunate to have known them all. True professionals in their trade, and they will be missed.

PDH June 14, 2013 (10:13 pm)

Bummer. They have taken care of us for nearly 25 years…fuel, maintenance, tires, check tire pressure when I was prego (other) ..etc…… Hopeful for new establishment… ? Certainly love the mural, really hope it stays, even if owners cannot.

Heidi June 14, 2013 (11:13 pm)

I use a wheelchair and this is the only full service station I know of anywhere in the City. These guys pump my gas with a smile and check my fluids / wash my windows. I now literally have no idea how I’ll ever get gas again lest I have a friend help. Honest old school service is dead.

raybro June 14, 2013 (11:22 pm)

I had a flat one morning a few months back. I was able to pump enough air into the tire to nurse the car to Barnecuts, and once there, they fixed it very quickly. Yes, it’s a little thing, the kind you only miss when it is gone.

Mke June 14, 2013 (11:51 pm)

Seems like a lot of people jumping to conclusions on here about why it’s being sold. So far I’ve yet to read anything about it shutting down. Replacing a gas station with anything but a gas station is really really really expensive. It might turn into something else, but who knows until more is released to the general public. Barnecuts didn’t make money on fuel, it’s a means to draw in customers for other services and products. The only ones making big money on fuel are the oil companies and Wall Street.

they June 15, 2013 (12:50 am)

“Any of the long-timers remember if there was a standard station on California and Charleston”

Yeap there was Standard on one corner Texaco and Shell on the other two with a QFC on the other. And who remembers the house with the two white lions at the top of their stairs just south of the Texaco…

Ugh.:( June 15, 2013 (6:29 am)

My grandmother would get her car fixed there. So sad to see it go. Maybe they will be another gas station there, this time with condos built on top. Yup cause we need more of those around here. Then we can add even more traffic and reduce the amount of lanes on the street to add bike lanes. ugh. Four generations of my family here in West Seattle what’s happening to our West Seattle. :(

Smitty June 15, 2013 (7:10 am)

Crap!

These guys were SO honest and reliable. I went in for tuneup once and told them my brakes might be going. I came back to pick it up and they said, no, you have a good 10-15% left. Give us a call in 6 months!

I will miss these guys, totally trustworthy. Where to go now????

Jissy June 15, 2013 (7:21 am)

Heidi-fear not, the Chevron on 35th & Holden has a “full service” aisle.

montanapup June 15, 2013 (7:26 am)

Bummer! It’s the only station I go to for gas and service, first my Suby and now the BMW. Love the staff and the “boys” with their project cars. Sigh. I wish them well.

gina t June 15, 2013 (7:38 am)

Glad I took my car in this week. Will wait to see what happens before commenting on the change.

The mini mart at California and Admiral now offers Safeway Club Card gas discount. So east or westbound on Admiral, there Safeway is.

Kathi June 15, 2013 (8:45 am)

Mr. Barnecut

Faith4 June 15, 2013 (9:17 am)

We had never been at the Chevron at 35th & Holden. We pulled in and I got out. The guys were very honest & let me know that the portion I pulled into was more expensive as it was full service & showed me where to go. They also have a car wash. I appreciated their honesty & from what we have heard, expect they will be where we will go now that our family place – Barnecuts, is gone. Perhaps there will be someone else come in and give us another full service station? Interested to see what does happen. We have also had people tell us that Harrah’s is good – over by where paid parking is (old video store lot) & to also check out West Seattle Auto Works. As with others, we grew up going to Barnecuts and they will all be very much missed. We have appreciated their attentiveness, hard work, friendliness and honesty. Thank you to all at Barnecuts for the great years of service of our vehicles.

Ray West June 15, 2013 (9:30 am)

I’m sad to see it go.

furor scribendi June 15, 2013 (12:58 pm)

Very sad to hear this news. The Barnecut family are a very class act, westside boosters and contributors from the very beginning, and the employees equally top notch – – will miss Sean and Joanne especially, but all are great people. Don’t currently live in the neighborhood, but have gone by occasionally just to chat them up and get some gas. Hope everyone has found new jobs, and that the Barnecuts stay as connected to West Seattle as ever.

Bill June 15, 2013 (5:31 pm)

First time I went to Barnecuts was in 1956 — for a gallon of gas and 1 qt of 30wt oil to put in it for the lawn mower. As a 10 year old it kinda bummed me that the qt of oil cost more than the gallon of gas — About 20 cents for the gas and 30 cents for the oil!! In those days they were west of California — about 44th – I believe where the 7-11 has been for umpteen years (early 70’s, I believe).

I also remember distinctly that they were Richfield for many many years — not sure when they changed since I was out of the area at the time.

Bill June 15, 2013 (7:32 pm)

I seem to remember that the Standard at California and Charleston was ‘Stromberg’s’- – IGA across the street — do not remember two other gas stations at that intersection.

Ray West June 16, 2013 (12:41 pm)

I’m thinking there’s going to be yet another condo going in.

Dale June 17, 2013 (2:57 pm)

@zipline–Texaco stations got bought up by Shell over a decade ago. @Mike most of the money being made in the last year has been in downstream operations or refining. Not upstream (drilling) or Mid-Stream (pipelines or rail). Take a look at Tesoro an independent refining stock. Low in the last year share price of $21 a share now selling at $57..they are printing money and this does not include any dividends they are paying.

Hegges Chevron June 18, 2013 (9:20 am)

As a fellow long time West Seattle local family business we at Hegges Chevron wish everyone at Barnecuts well in whatever is next. To their loyal patrons, we welcome the chance to earn your business. We are a full service gas station, 3 bay auto repair and car wash located at 35th and Holden. We’ve been locally owned and operated since the 60’s (not quite as long as Barnecuts :) ). Again best wishes to all

Gail Madrid June 18, 2013 (5:43 pm)

Have been a patron of Barnecut’s for over 50 years. They have taken excellent care of my cars, employed my child, and are as honest as they come. Dick, Andy,Tim , JoAnn etc. are a example of what makes West Seattle a great place to live. You will be missed.

Robirda June 19, 2013 (2:23 am)

The guy’s at Barnecuts sure will be missed, but I wish you all the best. Foreign Car Workshop is a family owned Auto Shop and you don’t have to have a foreign car to go there. They are two of the nicest guy’s and are EXPERTS at what the do.

:?)

Myrna June 20, 2013 (8:46 am)

Oh no! That’s what I thought I overheard when they were replacing my catalytic converter last week. These have been my go-to guys for years! I will miss them and their excellent service very much.

Gina T June 20, 2013 (1:34 pm)

At least the sale was to locals that own properties in the same area.

harriet benjamin June 20, 2013 (4:27 pm)

Taxed out of business.
Mr Barnecut ran a first class business. He and his family are a great assest to our community.
I recall having to have my car towed once after AAA couldn’t get it started. The AAA man where did I want it towed. I replied Barnecuts and he said what is it with that place? 98% of people choose to have their car towed there even though other places are closer. My answer was because they give good, honest service.
Thanks for all your help. Best to Andy, Tim, JoAnne and all the others.

MAO July 2, 2013 (11:39 pm)

will miss Barnecuts terribly and wish all the employees the best for the future. Question: drove by there tonight (July 2) and all the lights were on and two young men were sweeping the lot. Can anyone provide an update?