Mike and Theresa Fraley, owners of Fraley Automotive, recognize the delicate balance between being spouses and running a business.
“At first, it took us awhile to start realizing once we leave here, we need to leave work here,” says Mike, 55. “Once we’re able to do that, then we’re able to relax. It helps our relationship.”
Mike and Theresa took over Fraley Automotive from Mike’s father, Bill, in 2010, just as Bill did from his father, Everett, who opened the first shop in Winchester in the 1910s. Everett Fraley started the business to serve local tobacco farmers, fixing tractors, trucks and farm equipment.
Everett expanded his business to seven stores throughout the region. Bill took over the Mt. Sterling shop, the only one left today. Growing up in the shop, Mike began learning the fundamentals of auto mechanics at age 8. He started working at the shop full-time in 1980, working for his father while his mother ran the financial aspects of the business.
Mike modernized the three-generation business, and his passion for race cars has given the shop a national reputation.
Vernon Nickell, a Mountain Park Dragway record holder and car collector, has been bringing his race cars to Fraley for more than 30 years. “Why do I come here? That guy over there,” he says, gesturing to Mike. “I don’t trust a lot of people to help me. You call him, he’s there.”
While race enthusiasts from across the country send their cars to Mike for his expertise, he thinks quality service is what makes his store special. He credits Theresa, 52, for that.
“She straightened out the financial part of it,” he says. “She kind of took that over, started running that for us, so I could focus on the machine shop.”
His stress level has improved since Theresa started working full-time. “I was getting pretty bad there for awhile, blood pressure high,” he says. “I had a whole lot of issues. She started calming me down.”
Theresa works many hours alongside Mike and wears many hats, including accounting, employee management and organization, but she’s proud of what they have built. She’s also proud that she is supporting her husband.
“I don’t love this,” she says. “It’s not my passion, but I love him.”