Back in the early 1920's, a man named Harold Crook opened a small garage on Gansett Avenue and named it, appropriately, Harold Crook's Garage. Over time, this small business grew and eventually, Crook's son and namesake, Harold Crook, Jr., took over the reins. The garage's reputation for excellence, honesty and quality workmanship got around and vehicle owners came to rely on this family- run automotive service center in Cranston.

As time passed, a young and talented apprentice named Jim Clarke took over the business. An avid mechanic and a natural at his craft, Clarke had joined the Crook "family" 38 years prior, and this is where he learned at the skilled hands of the very best. When Clarke took over the business 26 years ago, he preserved its trusted values of uncompromised workmanship, dependability and affordability. The garage's loyal customers followed, and now, successive generations of those same customers still bring their cars to Harold Crook's Garage on Gansett Avenue.

Today, while Jim Clarke's wife Jeanette keeps the "engine" of the business running, he and his talented technician Glen Jenison are busy repairing just about any car - domestic or foreign - with just about any problem. Clarke is a master at identifying and resolving all those "head scratcher" issues that leave car owners stumped. Whether it is time spent under the hood or behind a computer scanner diagnosing the source of an airbag, ABS or engine light, Clarke and Jenison work tirelessly until the problem is found and fixed. Some of the services this team provides are:

• Computer Diagnostics

• Electrical Repairs

• Oil changes & Tune-ups

• Transmission service & repair

• Alignments

• Air conditioning & Heating

• Tires, Mounting, Balancing and Flat repair

• Brake Service

• Emissions Repair

• Suspension and Steering repair

• Mufflers

• State Inspections & Emissions testing

Customers of Harold Crook's Garage know that Clarke cares personally about his customers and will go above and beyond for them. It isn't unusual, for instance, to find Jim transporting his customers back and forth from the garage ~ he might call it an informal "road test", but his customers call it unbeatable service and true caring. As one satisfied customer writes of the service at Crook's "All the work is done well, on time and the repair cost is fair to all customers. Everyone in Rhode Island should get their auto repairs done at Crook's."

Harold Crook's Garage can be found where it has always been, at 10 Gansett Avenue in Cranston. They can be reached at (401) 942-6070. For more information, visit their website at www.haroldcrooksgarage.com.