Local Fixit Shop Finds Its Niche

Rocky Point has a real old-fashioned fixit shop, ready to repair broken lawnmowers, washing machines and even automobiles.

Rocky Point Appliances, which opened its doors on Broadway Avenue five years ago, specializes in small-engine repairs, a niche owner Bob Davidson said the area was lacking.

"I saw a need for that in this area," Davidson said. "A lot of people don't maintain equipment."

The shop started with just 15 customers that Davidson snagged from his former employer, but today boasts 3,200.

Though much of Davidson's business comes from small-engine repair, he does dabble in more obscure fix-ups, like an army motorcycle sidecar from World War II he once refurbished for the original owner's son.

"It had been idle for a long time," Davidson said. "I fixed it and now he enters it in parades."

Another favorite is the 1950 Studebaker from a farm in Wading River with a rigged piston in its engine that Davidson repaired.

"Whoever had it had shaved a bowling pin down to resemble a piston to plug it up," he said. "I got that working so it was getting 30 miles per gallon."

But despite his skills with appliances, Davidson didn't start out in the fixit world. In 1962, the shop owner, then a high school baseball star from Lindenhurst, hoped to play third base for the New York Mets.

He fumed when manager Casey Stengel announced former Dodger Don Zimmer would have the third base job and Davidson would be sent to Triple A.

"I had the best batting average in spring training camp but the Mets were trying to get all the old Giant and Dodger fans," he said. "So they had veterans like Zimmer and Gil Hodges."

Instead of dropping to Triple A, Davidson dropped the sport. "I was stupid then," he added. "I had a temper."

He runs his latest venture with the help of repairmen Vito Luppino and Danny Marasak and said the age of ethanol has helped his cause.

"Since ethanol has been added to fuel, there have been more problems with small engines than in the past," Davidson said. "Things seem to run OK, but we're finding afterward gunk in the engines."

He said most car and small-engine equipment owners don't follow regular maintenance plans, a fact that sends them running for the local store's services.

Luppino said a simple step at the end of summer can save lawnmower owners a repair next year.

"You have to let your mower run out of gas," he said. "You can't leave gas settling in over the winter."