Al’s D&I Repair: A Family Tradition Built to Last
From a family-owned Conoco station to a trusted local repair shop, Al’s D&I Repair celebrates 50 years of serving generations of Black Hills drivers.
Article by Local Black Hills Contributing Writer
For more than half a century, the building at 3483 Sturgis Road has been home to a family-owned automotive business. What began as Al’s Conoco in 1968, evolved into Al’s D&I Repair, a longtime fixture in the community that continues to serve local drivers today.
In 1968, Al Eslinger purchased the property and opened Al’s Conoco, offering full-service gas and automotive repair. In 1977, his son Denny took over the business and renamed it Al’s D&I Repair, shifting the focus to automotive repair, adding more service stalls and digging out the fuel storage tanks.
Martin Stover joined the team in 2003 and purchased the business when Denny retired in 2016.
For Martin, taking over a family legacy business was an honor. During his years as owner, he has watched the industry evolve dramatically. Today’s vehicles are increasingly sophisticated, with computers and electronics playing a major role. Keeping up meant continually seeking out education and training as the tech evolved.
Like any long-time business, Al’s D&I weathered its share of challenges. The mid-2010s brought a difficult period when programs such as “Cash for Clunkers” encouraged consumers to replace older vehicles rather than invest in repairs. The COVID-19 pandemic initially slowed business, but an influx of visitors to South Dakota soon helped bring customers back through the doors.
Through the ups and downs, Martin has found that patience and a good attitude go a long way.
“You have to ride things out, take a step back and know that things will turn around again,” he said.
Martin is quick to credit the people around him for the shop’s longevity.
“We have been fortunate to have good employees and a great customer base,” he said. “We see generations of families bring us their vehicles.”
Taking care of those employees is important to Martin, too. Sometimes that means gathering everyone together for breakfast. Other times, he’ll pick up hot dogs, brats or even steaks and fire up the grill for lunch.
For Martin, business success is ultimately about people — both the employees who make the shop run and the customers who have trusted Al’s D&I for generations.
“Owning a business can be stressful at times, but have fun with it,” he said. “Get the right people and take care of them.
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