Burlingame Family Business Shows Staying Power

In 1923, streetcars rolled up and down California Drive, students first began attending and opened its doors for business.

Almost 90 years later, local residents trust Gary Vielbaum, Pacific Auto Repair’s third-generation owner, to keep their cars running smoothly. Vielbaum’s grandfather opened the shop in 1923 after moving to Burlingame from San Francisco, making it the oldest family business in town. He was born in 1900 to German immigrants and worked odd jobs in the city before being drafted into World War I, although he never fought in the war.

“Two weeks before he was supposed to show up to get inducted, the war was called off,” Vielbaum said. “He moved down here in the early 20s—I think in 21 or 22—and then that’s when he built this shop.”

While in San Francisco, Vielbaum’s grandfather worked in electric shops, rebuilt batteries and spent time at the Market Street Railway—the predecessor of San Francisco’s Muni system—showing an early interest in mechanics. He slowly acclimated himself to different types of electrical and mechanical repairs, leading to his eventual opening of an auto shop.

“He just had a lot of that natural talent,” said Vielbaum. “Nobody really taught you those things then…he just was good at it and was comfortable with it.”

Over the years, Pacific Auto Repair underwent some changes, always weathering varying economic climates well. Vielbaum’s grandfather first opened the shop on California Drive, but leased the building out after almost going out of business in the first couple years (now occupied by NAPA Auto Parts). He constructed a back building to work out of on Highland Avenue, which became the permanent location of Pacific Auto Repair, still filled with a hodgepodge of original furniture purchased on a tight budget, including a safe from the late 19th century.

During World War II, business boomed. Buying cars was difficult, so Vielbaum’s grandfather worked rebuilding engines and keeping old cars running. In fact, business continued growing steadily until the early 1990s.

“Cars last longer [now], so you don’t need as many repairs,” Vielbaum said. “And in this area, it’s more affluent, so the cars seem to be newer...there isn’t that aged-vehicle fleet out there ripe for repairs.”

To accommodate these changes, Vielbaum, who inherited the business in 1994 following his father’s takeover in 1965, focuses on preventative maintenance and only the occasional transmission overhaul and engine repair.

He began working in the shop over summers in the 1970s and started full time around 1980, soaking up skills and knowledge as he went. He said there was never much hesitation on his or his father’s part about going into the family business.

“As a little kid, of course, you always want to grow up and do what your dad does,” said Vielbaum. “It’s what I know.”

In addition to Pacific Auto Repair, Vielbaum has established his own presence in the Burlingame community. He is an active member of the Lions Club and volunteers with the Sheriff’s Office search and rescue team. His involvement helps business, too, as community members get to know him and have a more personal experience than one found at a dealership. He even has a few clients dating back to the 1950s when his grandfather still ran the business.

“I think what makes any independent auto repair shop really an asset is when you go to a dealership, you’re treated more like just a number—it’s a big business and they have many venues they can make money off of,” Vielbaum said. “Our service is all we have to offer.”

In a downtown that has largely lost its mom-and-pop shops and has been taken over by retail and restaurants, with new businesses always opening and closing, it’s a testament to Pacific Auto Body’s service that it remains a viable business in the community. Through three generations and economic changes in Burlingame and beyond, the modest shop opened so many years ago endures.

“It’s funny, when you’re doing it, you don’t even think about it,” said Vielbaum. “[But] I have thought, this is kind of unique.”