Working under the dinosaur
As the bright Florida sun rises each morning, Dana Hurst opens his shop for business. Amid thousands of commuters rushing to work along one of Hernando County’s busiest corridors, Hurst and his crew are rarely noticed, even as they open the huge steel bays that expose the under belly of a huge steel and granite dinosaur housing the auto center.
The highly visible structure has been a landmark on U.S. 19 for so long, only a handful of travelers even glance over as they pass by. Newcomers, though, are intrigued. It’s not every day you spot such a roadside spectacle, especially one that continues to operate as a solid full service business.
Smothered in history, Harold’s is much more than a roadside curiosity. Rather it stands as a solid community icon that began as a Sinclair Oil gas station in the 1960s. The dinosaur was the company’s trademark. According to Hurst, the building was modeled from a design discovered at the World’s Fair.
“Gas companies were very aggressive back then,” Hurst explained.
Hurst’s father, Harold, purchased the business in 1977, changed the name and added the repair service. They continued to pump gas until the 1990s.
Since then, the building has gotten its share of exposure. Inside the shop’s office, a framed artist’s rendering decorates the wall as Hurst pulls out stacks of pictures and blurbs preserved under thick lamination.
They include a number of publications, some local newspapers no longer in existence, that ran a picture or a blurb: the Clearwater Sun Living in 1979, the Hernando Tribune in 1982 and the Hernando News in 1987. St. Petersburg Times, Miami Herald and The Tampa Tribune have also showcased the dinosaur over the years.
The shop even appeared in a German tour guide that Hurst keeps in preserved mint condition.
Keystone Press from Tokyo Japan requested permission to include the shop in a children’s magazine.
Yet for Hurst and his crew, under all that fame and glamour, the dinosaur is still just a building and inside it is business as usual.
“It’s just another day in the dinosaur,” chuckled Technician Jerry Aurelio.
The auto center focuses on general auto and air conditioning repairs for most automobiles with a relatively quick turnaround. Most repairs are in and out the same day with most delays blamed on problems getting the right parts.
“We order from Tampa,” Hurst explained. Parts are no longer so interchangeable; it isn’t possible to stock everything.
They also offer 24-hour towing.
The dinosaur is difficult to miss and curiosity is likely responsible for at least some of the new business into Harold’s Auto Center each year. But a strong repeat customer base and word of mouth are the foundations that have kept the bay doors open for 34 years.
“I treat customers as fair as I can,” Hurst said. “And I want them to feel relaxed and leave satisfied.”
Like Rod Rodriquez of Spring Hill who stopped in quick on his way to Tampa. The two men exchanged a friendly greeting and chatted for a moment before setting up an appointment for repair.
Rod Rodriguez remains a loyal customer since the shop was recommended to him 17 years ago. “They service all my vehicles,” he said. “They’re fair, honest, and I don’t have to worry about the work they do.”
That sits well with Hurst whose business continues to practice old-school rituals. “We treat everyone as fair as we can and let them make their own decisions.”
It is evident in the relaxed atmosphere that Harold’s was “built” from a foundation of old-fashioned values. The three technicians who complete the team have lengthy roots, two working under the dinosaur for more than 16 years.
Jerry Aurelio has witnessed many changes through the years and is proud how Harold’s has kept up with changing times. “We are in the century we need to be in and take care of the customer in the right way,” he said. “We do the business that we need to do.”
Brett Keane chuckled when asked about the dinosaur. “It’s the story of my life,” he said.
Like Jerry, Brett’s 16 years as a technician for Harold’s has seen many changes in terms of how business is done. “Customers feel like they get their money’s worth.”
Harold’s Auto Center is open five days a week, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Biz at a Glance
Name: Harold’s Auto Center
Location: 5299 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, FL 34606
Telephone: 352-596-7755
Email: [email protected]
