SNOHOMISH — People still phone up Dan Poteet for service at Eastside Tire, the former Avenue D auto shop lost to a fire in July 2021.
He hoped to rebuild, but said the cost to restart the shop ended up being out of reach. After being dragged through a lengthy insurance settlement process that’s near its end but still not 100% complete, the payout simply wasn’t big enough to construct and re-equip a new shop with enough work bays to sustain the business, Poteet explained.
The family put the half-acre lot at 1125 Ave. D up for sale late last year. It’s now pending with a buyer, real estate broker Ray Cook said.
The half-acre happens to be in Snohomish’s Midtown District. “We had a lot of interest in this,” Cook said.
Selling was a tough decision, Poteet said. Poteet was sour with the shop’s insurer Liberty Mutual. “They’re not looking out for people — they’re looking out for themselves.”
Who was looking out for him was Snohomish’s close community of independent shops. Immediately after the fire, they stepped up to complete the work for Eastside’s customers, Poteet said.
When a good shop or a good mechanic goes, these guys all feel it. They refer customers to each other. Eastside was a staple for years.
“I have the same philosophy (Poteet) has to help people,” said Dan Jacobson, the general manager for Snohomish Automotive and Lake Stevens Automotive.
“It speaks loudly to me he trusts me with his customers,” Jacobson said.
Poteet himself is using his skillset as a mechanic at a Monroe outfit that services forestry and tree cutting equipment.
