Longtime auto body shop on Riverdale Ave. in search of new location
Bruce Yudman, the owner of the well-known auto body shop, said they are being forced to relocate after the property was sold to a new landlord.
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The South Riverdale Auto Service at 3014 Riverdale Ave. will have to find a new location to service their longtime customers after 35 years.
Bruce Yudman, the owner of the well-known auto body shop, said they are being forced to relocate after the property was sold to a new landlord.
"The phone's ringing off the hook. people coming in saying, 'You can't go, you can't retire, you can't leave.' I have to hand him the keys on the 19th of July," shared Yudman.
Yudman told News 12 the new landlord of the property does not want to sign a lease with South Riverdale Auto Service.
Yudman said he's not ready to throw in the towel on fixing cars for the community, so he's actively searching for a new location not far from the shop's current location.
The news of the shop leaving 3014 Riverdale Ave. is hard to hear for some longtime customers.
"Sometimes going to an auto body shop as a female it is always scary, but I never feel like that here," said one customer.
"Everywhere I go I feel like they are scamming me to change this and that. I had a few conversations with Bruce (Yudman) and he's like 'you don't need that. You just need to change this and stay on point.' So, I'm really sad if they leave here," she continued.
Yudman said he was close to securing a new location for the auto shop earlier in the year but was later told the property was promised to another tenant.
With the clock winding down, he's in the process of transferring out his equipment and taking care of beloved customers while he can.
"I've enjoyed serving the community all these years, and I'd like to keep serving, and that's what I'm trying to do," Yudman expressed.
News 12 did attempt to contact the new landlord for comment on the story and is waiting to hear back.
