One of the longest-running businesses in Chemainus is marking a major milestone. McBride’s Service Station will celebrate its 100th anniversary on Friday, May 30 with a customer appreciation event.
Owner Terry Dockrill is inviting the community to help make it a day to remember.
The celebration will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 9616 Chemainus Rd., where McBride’s shares a lot with Puppycats Pet Emporium, also celebrating a grand reopening after recent renovations.
For owner Terry Dockrill, who purchased McBride’s in 2019, the heart of the day is hearing stories from customers, neighbours and past employees.
“I’ve been asking everybody to bring stories,” Dockrill said.
The celebration will feature live music, a barbecue, prize draws, and giveaways from both businesses.
Dockrill purchased McBride’s after a 40-year career in the automotive industry, including 20 years in management with Canadian Tire. What was intended as a slower-paced lifestyle quickly became something more.
“I thought I was buying a little shop,” he said with a laugh, noting that business has doubled since he purchased the station.
McBride’s first opened in 1925 as Imperial Garage. The business has worn many hats over the years, including a gas station, boat repair shop, lawn mower and trailer dealer, convenience store and even a bus depot.
“They used to deliver furnace oil. That’s how far back this goes,” Dockrill said.
Bob McBride entered the garage business in 1935, opening a service station under the Chevron logo. After the Second World War, he renamed it McBride’s Service Station, the name that has endured for nearly 80 years.
After his passing, the shop was operated by his widow, Dorothy. She then asked her nephew Pat Allester, who had started working at the shop at age 12, to return from Alberta and manage it. Over the decades that followed, the station changed hands several times, with various family members and longtime employees stepping into ownership and management roles before Dockrill purchased the business.
The current five-person team at McBride’s includes Rick and Derek Hornett, Chris Robinson, and Keenan Reeves in addition to Dockrill. He describes his team as the best staff he’s worked with in 40 years.
“They care about our customers, so it makes my job easy.”
Outside of work, Dockrill finds relaxation in classic cars. He and his wife Linda, who runs Puppycats Pet Emporium next door, regularly attend car shows on Vancouver Island, not for competition, but connection.
“We go more for the social aspect of it,” he said. “It’s very relaxing for us.”
McBride’s has become known for its approachable, customer-first attitude, especially with clients who may be intimidated by traditional garages. Dockrill said it took years to build the team he has now, focusing on integrity, friendliness and support.
Dockrill has a simple approach to customer service: “Always put yourself on the other side of the counter and everything else will take care of itself.”
The team doesn’t shy away from small requests, like checking a tire or replacing a lightbulb on the spot.
“Air’s free here,” he said. “We don’t mind people stopping and doing that stuff. We want to make sure they’re safe on the road.”
One of the many ways McBride’s supports its customers, particularly elderly drivers who may not use their vehicles often, is by helping them avoid unnecessary expenses.
A lot of McBride’s staff time was previously spent boosting dead batteries in cars that hadn’t been driven in a while. After replacing multiple batteries for the same customers, one of McBride's mechanics came up with a better solution.
“We’ve been helping them out by putting a charger in their car they can plug in at home,” Dockrill explained.
“It’s a very team-oriented group here, and that’s what I love about it.”
McBride’s also operates a 24/7 roadside towing service, working with BCAA, ICBC and the RCMP.
“Calls are forwarded after hours so the on-call driver can respond directly, even in the middle of the night,” Dockrill said.
That kind of dedication to customer care doesn’t go unnoticed. Dockrill said the support flows both ways. This was exemplified during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“People were calling and we were picking cars up at their house, sanitizing and returning them,” Dockrill said. “They were trying to make sure we stayed afloat.”
When Dockrill bought the property in 2019, the former convenience store beside the garage sat empty. At first, there were no plans to use the space, but with a shared background in retail and a love of animals, Dockrill’s wife Linda and daughter Sam decided to open a pet supply store. The result was Puppycats Pet Emporium, a cheerful, locally owned fixture offering food, toys and supplies for Chemainus’s furry companions.
Both McBride’s and Puppycats support the broader community, sponsoring youth baseball, car shows, and local rescue organizations. A connection with Foster Kritters Feral Rescue began when a stray cat gave birth in the shop’s shed. Rescue founder Kirsten will be on site during the May 30 celebration to share information about the work the rescue does.
As for what’s next, Dockrill isn’t planning a major expansion but hopes the legacy of McBride’s continues beyond his time.
“If health allows, I’d like to work into my 70s,” he said.
He hopes someone from his team may one day take the reins.
“I’d love to see somebody like Rick or Chris take it over and carry on with it,” Dockrill said, then proudly added, “We built it together.”
McBride’s 100th anniversary and Puppycats grand reopening takes place Friday, May 30, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 9616 Chemainus Rd.
