Flaherty's Garage is closing its doors after 30-year run
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 05/19/2008

MONMOUTH -- Sharon Flaherty is excited for the future.

"It's time to try new things," said Flaherty, co-owner of Flaherty's Garage.

But moving into the future means Flaherty and her husband, co-owner Ernest Flaherty, will have to leave a large part of their lives behind. After 30 years of serving Monmouth and surrounding communities, Flaherty's Garage closed its doors this weekend.

"We've been here 30 years, and it's just time to move on," Sharon Flaherty, of Winthrop, said.

The sale was finalized more than a year ago. The Flahertys opened the garage in 1978.

The daughter of a mechanic and the wife of a man who enjoyed working on cars, the choice to go into business with her husband seemed natural to Sharon. For three decades, the couple -- and several of their children -- worked at the garage, selling gas, running a wrecker service and selling automotive equipment.

The couple have 11 children between the two of them (hers, his and theirs), and at least five of them worked at their parents' garage growing up. One son still works there and another son went on to open his own garage.

"This place has been good to us," Flaherty said, looking around the small room attached to the garage where the machinery her stepson operates emitted a whirring noise.

"We have no complaints or regrets," she said.

But selling the business has had some emotionally difficult moments.

"We're going to miss our customers," Flaherty said, as she waved to a man in a convertible who drove through the parking lot to wave hello. "They've been coming by all week, asking if we'll reconsider and change our minds. I almost feel like I'm letting them down (by closing)."

Mark Burgess, of Greene, has purchased the business. Sharon Flaherty said she is unsure what will become of the garage on U.S. Route 202 in the future.

Pauline McDougald, chairwoman of Monmouth's selectboard, said the Flaherty Garage closing was "sad" and "a shock" to her.

"I knew some time ago they were closing, but it's just sad because they've been here for years and years," McDougald said. "They're both very friendly people."

After the weekend, Sharon Flaherty said she and her husband -- who was out of town at an auction -- are going to take some time for themselves to "get used to the idea" of not having to go into the garage for work every day. Flaherty said the couple will probably continue to do some work out of their home selling equipment, but will no longer work on cars except for family members.

"I'm not nervous," Flaherty said of life after the garage. "It's been a lot of hard work done here over the years, but it's been interesting and completely worth it."

Meghan V. Malloy -- 623-3811 Ext. 431

mmalloy@centralmaine.com

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