Popular Amarillo Shop Closes Doors After Decades of Service

Amarillo seems to be losing a lot of businesses that have been open for decades.

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A place where thousands of people took their cars to be repaired is closing its doors after decades of being open and fixing vehicles.  The shop was located at 2801 S. Osage

Shorty's Bear Safety Service officially closed its shop in December 2022.   The shop was originally opened in 1960 by Shorty himself James Bryant and his wife Eugenia.  The shop was named after the owner's nickname and the leading brand of alignment equipment in 1960, Bear.  By having Bear in the nickname you were allowed to use the Bear equipment logo in their name.  Thus, giving the shop national recognition.

In the beginning, the shop was mainly for front end and suspension.

Shorty passed in August of 1965 and Eugenia leased the building and business through December 1980.  Over the years the name and business remained over the years offering top-notch alignments and mechanic work.

They posted a notice of their closing on their Facebook page with a notice of an auction through Bentley's Auction.  The auction includes a lot of the main machines that mechanics use, as well as other tools.  Plus, collectible signs are also included in the auction.

It seems that everything in the shop is up for auction. You can visit the auction site here the auction closes on Monday, February 20th.

It's always sad to see a business that has been a staple in Amarillo close its doors.  Thousands of Amarillians have had their car worked on at Shorty's Bears, and now they will have to find a new shop for all their car needs.