'This is the shop where we'll give you a hand'

MILTON — Daddios Tire Shop is offering free flat tire repair service for all active duty and federal personnel affected by the government shutdown, which began Dec. 22. The shop announced the offer Jan. 15 on its business Facebook page.

"I think it’s a mess," Adrian Lopez said of the government shutdown. Lopez, owner of Daddios, said when he realized some federal workers were not being paid he felt the need to help where he could.

"These people are going to work and they don't even have a chance to make money," Lopez said of the people forced to work without pay. "I at least have a chance to make money."

Lopez said things at the shop have been slow since before Christmas.

"Times are tough," he said. "I hear a lot of customers complain about shortage of money and just not feeling comfortable about things."

Lopez said something as simple as a flat tire can turn into huge problem if there's no money the money to pay for it.

"If I can help somebody out with a flat tire repair to keep them moving until things get going," he said, "why not?"

Helping people is not new to this Marine veteran. Lopez runs his shop in an "old-fashioned" way — he gets to know his customers.

"Plenty of times people come in with a bad tire, they don't have the money, they leave with a new tire," Lopez said. "We'll worry about the money later."

Then as if on cue, Lopez excused himself to help one of those customers that did not have the money at the time he needed a tire. Lopez said he and the customer were able to work out a flexible payment arrangement that suited both of them but more importantly allowed the customer to get the help they needed.

"Anybody that needs anything," Lopez said. "they're welcome to come by and I'll be happy to try and help them as much as I can … This is the shop where we'll give you a hand."

Daddios is located at 6063 Dogwood Drive, Milton. Visit www.facebook.com/DaddiosTireShop for more information.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: 'This is the shop where we'll give you a hand'