News

Ask Matt ... how the Laughters keep track of cars

Robbie and Larry Laughter solve what looks like a Rubik’s Cube puzzle every day.

By Matt Matteson, Published: March 17, 2018

Q. How does Church Street Automotive keep track of all the cars they have parked there?

Not by computer. Shop owner Larry Laughter has a system. Pointing to his head, Laughter says, “It’s all in here.” He said he might have 40 cars parked in the front and another 10 behind his shop. A glance at the key board on the wall verifies the count. Most of the time cars are parked two deep.
Church Street Automotive occupies the corner of North Church Street and Third Avenue East. Not so long ago it was an Exxon station. They eventually took out the gas pumps for more storage. Larry’s dad ran the Esso gas station there in 1954. Larry worked there as a kid and took it over around 1990. His brother Robbie works there along with three other mechanics. Robbie does everything — tune-ups, changing oil, engine diagnostics and repair and of course, moving cars. They have a tow truck on the lot but they recently got out of the towing business because it became too much trouble.
During our talk, one of the mechanics walked into the narrow hallway Laughter uses as his office. “Cole, pull the red truck into bay number three and inspect it,” Laughter commanded. Such a maneuver may to some be like solving a Rubik’s Cube puzzle, but it’s no problem for the Church Street team.
Larry Laughter gets around on a motorized scooter. “This is my legs,” he said with a grin. He lost the use of his legs in 1995 when he snapped his neck diving into a big wave at Myrtle Beach. Nevertheless, he still likes to go back there when he can. Laughter thinks he has another 10 years before he hangs up the automotive business. “But I’ll probably be bored to death,” he says. “In here you deal with mayhem sometimes more often than you want.” Laughter added that he is deeply appreciative of his many customers who he considers his friends. With more than 60 years in business, that shouldn’t surprise anyone.

Q. Do you know what is going on with the property on 7th Avenue near Lowes that was purchased by Park Ridge Hospital a couple of years ago?

Park Ridge acquired the former Four Seasons Cinema property from Jeff Justus and Rusty Pulliam in 2014. Park Ridge officials said they are still interested in doing something with the 4.7-acre tract but the timing is not right now. If and when they do develop the now vacant property, it will also have NCDOT approved vehicle access on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

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