Troy’s Corner Auto Care wears its heart for Roseville on its sleeve with extravagant holiday displays, community events and quality customer service
By Kinsey Gade
The average day at Troy’s Corner Auto Care at the corner of North Hamline Avenue and West County Road B is bustling with cars and people. Each customer, whether stopping for gas or dropping off or picking up their vehicle, can expect to be greeted by owner Troy Miller himself, sitting at the front desk. Here, customers are treated like family, chatting with Troy about their lives as if catching up with a longtime friend.
But the biggest draw is the eye-catching, extensive displays that the shop sets up each season, centered around the iconic old-timey truck on the shop’s corner. From an Easter basket the size of the truck bed to a replica of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, equipped with a recreational vehicle (RV), Troy and his friend Brian Sobaski, who used to work on props in Hollywood, try to outdo themselves with each display.
Troy said the idea initially started during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to cheer up community members going on walks or diving around while most businesses were closed.
He chose to create a display poking fun at toilet paper hoarders during the lockdown; a hen in a henhouse, handing a fox a roll of toilet paper, with the words, “Be Kind, Stay Nice, Roseville Strong.”
“I wanted to put a smile on somebody’s face and create something the community could enjoy,” Troy said.
Shortly after the display was unveiled, Troy began receiving letters, voicemails, messages and emails from people in the community expressing their love and appreciation for the display, with the hope that there would be more to come. What Troy thought might be a one-time thing has continued every holiday and season for the past five years.
Coincidences
Growing up on the East Side of St. Paul, Troy has always been a part of the Twin Cities community. At 18 years old, he started working at a Saturn car dealership, where he stayed for 25 years, developing his management and business skills. He bought Dave’s Roseville Auto Care, now Troy’s Corner, from Dave Miller (no relation) in 2019.
Troy said that one day, while he was filling his truck, which had “Miller & Sons” on the side, with gas at the shop, Dave ran out to talk about the coincidence in last name, which led to a conversation about Dave’s retirement and the possibility of transferring ownership. Troy said that the coincidences continued when Dave showed up at his house one day, saying that their house was where his childhood best friend had lived.
“It turned out that Dave’s best friend growing up was my wife’s uncle, whom we bought the house from,” Troy said. “It was kind of a big coincidence, and after that, a lot of things just came together. It just felt right.”
Creating Community Trust
For Troy and the crew, the corner displays are just one way to be a friendly, neighborhood auto shop that develops relationships and trust with their clients.
A 2024 survey by Consumer Affairs reported that 78% of people have mistrust in their mechanic, and 80% of survey respondents said they felt overcharged by their mechanic. Only 15% of women reported that they fully trust their mechanics.
Troy said that while they don’t provide anything uniquely special in terms of auto care compared to other shops, they value honesty and creating quality relationships with their clients.
“For us, it’s about being caring, highly relational, creating customers for life and just doing business in a different way,” Troy said. “We keep it simple.”
Independently owned auto shops have also been on the decline in recent years due to advanced diagnostic tools of modern vehicles, restrictive access to repair software by carmakers, mechanic shortages and competition from corporate chains and manufacturers.
Joe Reichel, a technician at the shop, said his job at Troy’s feels more impactful and caring than past jobs, which he described as being only concerned with getting the job done.
“Here, you get to see a positive impact on every person you work on their car,” Reichel said. “Every day I want to be here, and I couldn’t say that about a lot of other places.”
Upcoming Renovations
The auto shop, which first opened in 1954 as a Mobil gas station, has also been undergoing renovations since September, including updates to the interior and exterior of the building, an addition that houses two more service bays and eventually the installation of a replica of the shop’s logo on the roof, featuring an MG Midget car and a cartoon model of the mascot driving.
Tor Westegaard, who has been with the company for the past 18 years and has witnessed the business change with the transition of ownership from Dave to Troy, said that the changes have been positive, refreshing and have reinforced the small town, local auto shop vibe.
“It’s just a great little shop,” Westegaard said. “The customers love the events and all the decor. Just being in this little shop, it feels like a small town, not a big city.”
Events
In addition to the corner displays, the shop hosts four free community events each year as a way to give back and show support for the community. In October, the shop hosted a Halloween event, providing food, drinks, face-painting and 2,500 pumpkins.
Funds for the decor and events come from money that would have been spent on advertising for the company. However, Troy believes giving back to the community without a catch is the best way for the shop to show their thanks.
“In life, there always seems to be a catch. Not here,” Troy said. “You don’t have to buy eight gallons of gas or donate; just come and enjoy. It’s just fellowship, hanging out and getting to know our neighbors.”
In December, the shop plans to host a Christmas event on Dec. 13 from 2:30-6:30 p.m. with Santa Claus, reindeer, hot cocoa, apple cider and a station for kids to write letters to Santa.
