When folks in Levittown bang up their wheels, the first business on their minds to fix their fenders is usually Center Island Autobody. A family-run shop located at 112 Gardiners Ave., Center Island has served the local community in ways beyond auto body repair for over 40 years and counting.
Bayport resident Jack Bolger has been the owner of Center Island Autobody since 1973. Previously a four-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, Bolger had spent several years working as an auto insurance adjustor for General Motors before getting the urge to try out the opposite end of the business.
“I learned a great deal at General Motors, but I eventually decided that I was leaning more towards the repair end of it as opposed to the adjusting end,” he said. “I had an opportunity to work at a repair shop in Great Neck as their front man and learn the business, and in ’73 I decided the time was right to start out on my own.”
When Bolger purchased Center Island Autobody, the previous owner’s son, Eddie, stayed on-board as an assistant, and the two worked together for many years. While the new venture was successful for Bolger, he said that the additional stresses associated with owning your own business took some getting used to.
“It’s a lot of work…it’s long hours and a great deal of effort, but we made a lot of friends and I started working with people in the neighborhood,” said Bolger. “I joined the Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis and made many dear friends early on. Eddie was a big help, and he only just recently passed away at the age of 65. A lot of people knew him in Levittown.”
Bolger said that one of the main reasons Center Island has existed for so long in an era where more businesses seem to be closing their doors than opening them is because of the intense goodwill they have generated with local residents over the years.
“We support the military veterans of our community whenever they make requests. Anything they may need…money, time, whatever,” said Bolger. “We like to support a number of community organizations—Knights of Columbus, Veterans of
Foreign Wars, we donate to local schools…anybody we can. Most of our customer base is in Levittown and they spend their money locally here in town, and we like to give back. It’s hard not to support a community like Levittown that’s been so very good to us.”
Bolger’s sons, Jack Jr. and Mike, both managers at Center Island, were fortunate enough to live out the fantasy of many young men growing up—having an entire automotive garage all their own to play in every day. It would prove to be a formative experience and one that would shape both their careers in the future.
“We were little kids running all around the garage, and we’ve been around this business most of our lives,” said Jack Jr.
“When we got older, we worked here on weekends and during the summertime, and we always expressed an interest in the business. After college, Dad wanted me to learn the other end of the business first, so I worked as an insurance adjuster for a few years just like he did. Then I started in 1993 and have been here ever since.”
Mike drove home the point that Center Island Autobody has served the auto body repair needs of Levittown families for multiple generations, truly cementing themselves as dutiful members of the community.
“Pop has been a part of the Levittown community for over 42 years, so he was actually fixing people’s cars back in the ‘70s and ‘80s.Now, those families come here whose children and grandchildren are old enough to drive to have work done on their cars,” he said. “We’re very proud of the fact that Dad has been doing this for so long, and Jack Jr. and I are trying to carry on Dad’s legacy as far as how he treated people with respect, performed quality work and helped the community whenever he could.”
Bolger said that working with his sons for so many years has been a unique joy that not many parents get to experience; sharing their business and personal lives, good times and bad, have served to bring them all closer than ever.
“They learn from me what I want and how I want it done, and then they can embellish however they want after that,” said Bolger. “I’m basically retired now, so I’m out of the picture…these two run things now. But when I finally retire fully, the business will be completely theirs and I know I’ll be leaving it in good hands.”
