Comments on: Closure looms for Inca Service on Ashby

By: Tracey Taylor

Tracey Taylor — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:40:13 +0000

Joseph Ruan: Have a look at the update I just posted on this story with the links to our two more recent stories. Your will be pleased to hear that Inca Service is not closing in the foreseeable future largely thanks to Berkeleyside readers who expressed their support for Hugo. This lead to Chevron renewing its contract with him. He’s open for business!

By: Joseph Ruan

Joseph Ruan — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:05:16 +0000

What ? Closing ? No not good at all. I was the Station Manager and lead Tire tech at Claremont 76 for the final 10 years that we where open and I used Hugo and his crew as my Mechanic’s and I bought used cars from Hugo that where a gogo no problems just Professionalism. Remember there was a 76 on the opposite side of the Chevron and its been sitting as an empty lot for over 10years. That hood is changing for the no-good.

By: Inca Service: The Berkeley community wins – Berkeleyside

Inca Service: The Berkeley community wins – Berkeleyside — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:30:53 +0000

[...] weeks ago, Berkeleyside broke the story about the likely closure of Inca Service, Hugo Cornejo’s long-standing auto repair shop at [...]

By: Stuart sidells

Stuart sidells — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 04:06:03 +0000

Hey Hugo. It’s Saturday. What happened with Chevron yesterday? Is it game over?
Stuart

By: Joseph Beck, M.D.

Joseph Beck, M.D. — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 17:55:24 +0000

I first learned to trust Hugo with any car problems, big or small, more than 30 years ago, before Inca Motors at the Telegraph & Ashby Chevron was established. I’ve continued to rely on Hugo’s expertise and honesty whenever I’ve had car problems, and have continued to recommend Hugo to family members and friends. Hugo is obviously a very important resource to a huge number of people in the community who have come to rely on him. It would be a real shame if he and Chevron are not able to come to some agreement that works for everybody.

By: Tom Ratcliff

Tom Ratcliff — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 04:55:11 +0000

I’ve had my construction trucks serviced @ Inca for the last 10 plus years and have been so satisfied with the quality of service and the convenience. Hugo has helped keep my business running smoothly with reliable and timely service. So, I am very sad to lose this irreplaceable business partner.
My distress is compounded by the new use proposed of the site. With juvenile obesity and Type 2 diabetes at epidemic levels and rising, Chevron’s real estate division seems to be on yesterday’s auto-pilot…. sell more sugar and salt to young people! It is well documented that Willard Middle School students line up out the door at the existing mini mart to buy chips and soda, a well known toxic stew. Chevron has a responsibility to our children, and they should think about adult customer retention too.
As a neighbor of Inca and a regular customer of this Chevron station, I am really put off by this decision. I’ll likely buy my gas at another location in the future just because this is such a tone-deaf decision that changes the meaning of this business location.
Note to real-estate dept: think about marketing consequences of removing a business that provides a valued public service and replacing it with a business that makes children sick. At the very least… consider selling real food, for the love of God.

By: J A Rubino

J A Rubino — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:59:23 +0000

What else can be said about Hugo and Dave and all the mechanics that work at Inca Cheveron that has not already been said, PROFESSIONAL, SKILLED, EFFICIENT, and HONEST.
What a loss to the community if they are forced out. In these hard economic times many small business owners who have a proven financial success record deserve a fair market rate to sustain them as our economy regains its balance. Certainly Cheveron, who has posted positive earnings recently, could negotiate a resonable rental profit for one more year and support the community’s need for the quality business that Hugo has created.
These are the times when large corporations must step up and recognize that short term gain decisions can undermine the long term value of a business.
It took years of hard work and dedication to build Inca Cheveron, to loose it because of a temporary downturn, severe as it has been, is not a wise investment in future earnings. We will always support Hugo in what ever business venture he chooses to create, because he embodies the best of what independent businesses are.

By: richard berger

richard berger — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:47:06 +0000

I have been using hugo’s services for 23 years…. it is disturbing and counterproductive for our community to lose trusted and competent individuals merely to be replaced with more soul-less retail. Having Hugo under the sign of Chevron does alot for the brand, I am sure it is a reason alot of individuals purchase Chevron products… if we trust Hugo, we trust Chevron…..
I am sorry that progress really isn’t

By: Tony D

Tony D — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 06:10:13 +0000

For me, it had always been hard to find a place where I could service my car and I could trust the work that was done (old parts sold as new, replace this and that when nothing was actually done, etc. . ) Some years ago, I started taking my Honda Accord to Inca Service, Hugo and his crew are not only the best people that have serviced my car, but every time I’m confident that I’m getting more in the labor and service than what I have been charged for.
Even when my car needed a jump-start, I knew that I could call Inca Service and get helped. As a matter of fact, once they helped me out at my place and we drove my car to Inca Service because Hugo decided not only to properly test the battery but also look for other sources of problems in my car. Surely, at the end he gave me a very good and honest assessment of the problem and repaired it.
Overall, I value very much the quality of their work and the trust they have inspired in me.
Now, I find it hard to read the news. It’s hard because we have to accept that yet another local business is hurting and possibly even closing. . . Hugo’s letter posted above is very moving. Personally, I don’t see a need for yet another Maxi-Mart!! We do need to keep Inca Service in Business! We need to rebuild and sustain the trust in our local business! Inca Service certainly has benefited the Chevron Station on Ashby and Telegraph tremendously, it built a great reputation for the place.
My heart and best wishes to Hugo and his great team!! You are the best!

By: Beverly

Beverly — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 02:14:40 +0000

I count myself as one of the many hundreds of people who have given Hugo Cornejo and Inca Service my total trust to keep my car running great and safely. I was a customer of Hugo’s before he opened his shop on the corner of Ashby and Telegraph when I would take my car to his house where he would work on it in his backyard or garage. This is a long standing relationship and he has seen me through several cars, the current one now over 225,000 and still kicking.
When I saw the sign in his window a few months ago about an imminent closing, I was pretty surprised but I figured he was retiring after so many years. However, when I found out the real reason was not a happy one but one of a forced closure due to sky high rent in this downturn economy, I was very sad. I honestly don’t know if I would ever trust any other mechanic as much as I do Inca and his loyal employees, many who have been with him for a very long time. They have provided an honest and necessary service to me and to the community so I really hope that Chevron will find a way to renegotiate a more reasonable rent so as not to let this institution dissolve. I am a Chevron customer and will stop supporting this company if Inca Service is forced to close.