Emory Henley opened Auto Service of Pleasant View on May 17, 1995 with the goal of making a difference in the auto repair industry by showing people that you can find quality service and integrity in a small-town auto repair shop. As a young boy, Emory was intrigued by anything mechanical, and, as he got older, he helped his dad work on the family cars. During this time, his love of cars became stronger than any other passion he had experienced—and it’s still a passion that drives him to this day.
Auto Service of Pleasant View started as a one-man operation based on one man’s dream of owning an auto repair business.
During his junior year of high school, Emory enrolled in an auto mechanics course, which inspired him to become an auto repair shop owner, but there were a few detours along the way… He joined the United States Air Force after taking the ASVAB test, which established he was very mechanically inclined. In fact, he was qualified to work on anything the Air Force had in operation—very exciting for a 17-year-old. As a jet engine mechanic, Emory learned the mechanical and electrical systems of F-15 fighter jets, and, coincidentally, a lot of those systems are very similar to modern vehicles. And—as time would tell—cars, not aircraft, would ultimately be Emory’s future.
Soon before finishing his service, Emory admitted to himself that cars, not airplanes, made him tick. He decided to use his G.I. Bill college money to attend Nashville Auto Diesel College, and he moved with his wife to Nashville, Tennessee in 1991. While in school, Emory worked for a corporate auto repair shop, and then, after graduation, he worked for an independent auto repair shop and a dealership, where he was mentored by a great technician who had also wanted to be an auto repair shop owner, but never had the opportunity. This made Emory really want to take the chance on starting his own business.
When he noticed a building in Pleasant View that appeared to be vacant, Emory found the owner, made a deal, and purchased the property. He spent a few weeks prepping the building to open for business, and, today, his dream is a 20+ year reality, with wife and kids in tow going strong as a family and an auto repair shop. Now with 33 years of experience and ASE Master certification, Emory’s dream hasn’t changed—he still has a passion for cars and a heart for quality auto repair.