Past, Present, & Future
The building on the corner of 57th and East Burnside has a long history as an automotive repair garage. Craig Nelson added to that heritage when he opened the doors of his two rented stalls for the first time on April 1st, 1996.
He called it The Jag Shop.
Specializing in the fine motorcars from England, namely Jaguar, he had six clients on the very first day. The Jag Shop filled an important niche as one of the few independent Jaguar repair facilities in Portland. Since then, the number of makes serviced, the number of skilled technicians employed, and the reputation for being the best dealership alternative for Jaguar, MINI, Ferrari, Maserati, Lotus, Aston Martin, and Bentley, has only grown.
In 2000, Craig expanded The Jag Shop to the entire building and purchased the underlying property, with the former owner staying on as his chief technician until his retirement 15 years later.
When the economic downturn hit everyone in 2008, The Jag Shop was not left untouched. Business was slow. But instead of taking a wait-and-see approach, Craig invested in The Jag Shop by doing a comprehensive remodel of the building that included a new reception area and showroom.
But more than that, he invested in his customers, many of whom were in the professional trades and hit hardest by the freeze in construction. He had the expansive tile work done by a customer. The electrical work was done by another customer. The framing and drywall, done by a customer. Paint, cabinetry, lighting, all done by customers of The Jag Shop. Craig recalls the communal feel that the whole process had, “Everyone got good deals,” he remembers.
And with 2016 upon us, The Jag Shop celebrates 20 years of turning wrenches, keeping beautiful cars on the road and, most importantly, the maintenance of lasting relationships.
