Operator: Rick Rivera
Location: Deland, Florida
Shop size: 3,500 square feet
Staff size: 5 employees
From Enthusiast to Owner
Like many, Rick Rivera, the current owner of Classic Lube, found his passion for cars at a young age. While helping one of his friend's dads work on them, he developed skills that would later help him advance his career.
While in college, Rivera worked part-time as a quick lube technician at one of the four Classic Lube locations in Florida, and after graduating in 1998, he left Classic Lube to go work for Car Spa in Jacksonville, Florida.
A year into working at Car Spa, the owners of Classic Lube called him up and offered him the general manager position of all four of their locations.
Twenty-one years later in 2020, the owners of Classic Lube sold off all their locations and Rivera became the owner of the fourth located in DeLand.
A Fresh Approach
One of the first things that Rivera did as the new owner of Classic Lube, was revamp the branding.
“We got better-looking signs and changed the colors,” Rivera said. “I was tired of the safety yellow and red that was synonymous with every other quick lube shop. So instead of yellow, I use safety blue and then instead of red, I use gray. It’s just a fresher look.”
In addition to his new color scheme, Rivera also prides himself on the exceptional customer service that his team provides. With three oil change bays and one repair bay, his team can do more than just quick lube services.
“We’ve all been around cars long enough that we do more than just the job you’re paying us for,” Rivera said. “We do brakes, belts, hoses, suspension, and radiators, we do a lot of repair work. We service cars. Rather than only checking the usual air filter, wiper blades, and tire pressure, we dig a little deeper. Whenever we see something, even if we might not have the right tools to fix it here, we will advise that they get it checked out.”
In addition to their quick lube offerings and service checks, Rivera and his team also install and fix breathalyzers.
“We install and service breathalyzers for people with DUIs,” Rivera said. "As a result, most of those customers end up being regular customers as well. Because of the extra work, we get an extra 30 or 40 changes a year, as well as life service.”
Customers who visit Classic Lube are guaranteed great customer service and can trust that their car will be fully serviced. They can leave knowing that any problems in their car were identified, and they can drive feeling safer.
