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Three generations of Jack English’s family work at his appliance repair company, which has been in business in Corpus Christi for 58 years. When Arrow Appliance Repair Co. first opened in 1956, Jack English rode solo on his service calls. Son, Shawn, started keeping him company when he was around 8 years old. His daughter, Shauna kept the tradition going, riding shotgun with dad since elementary school.
Now 23, Shauna has been making regular service calls for two years.
“Eight out of 10 times customers bring it to my attention that I’m a girl,” Shauna said. “Sometimes they talk to me about it the entire time I’m on the call. Some people try to give me advice about the job. Once their appliance has been fixed, they calm down.”
Granddad has no qualms about the work of his youngest protege, who started her formal training at 17.
“She’s small and strong and doing repair service,” Jack said. “She really knows the business.”
All three learned the trade through hands-on experience. Jack’s first job involved fixing washers and dryers at Meter Minder Laundry, the city’s first coin-operated laundromat.
His mother had moved the family to Corpus Christi from Beaumont in the 1940s after his father was killed during the war. She worked as a secretary in supply at the Naval Air Station.
Jack started his career in appliance repair after graduating from high school. When the laundromat sold, he went to work for Sears before moving to a local company, then branching out on his own.
When his son was in high school, Shawn took over the garbage disposal side of the business and has expanded his repertoire and responsibilities from there.
Not much has changed in the business over the last five decades, says Jack.
“Appliances work better and last longer now, and they are getting more complicated,” he said. “But washing machines still break, they just break washing dirty towels now instead of dirty diapers. When people still used cloth diapers, a broken washing machine was a major emergency!”
Better built machines mean fewer emergencies, but refrigerators still stop cooling and freezers still melt down and need to be fixed, he said.
“We have to do some training to learn the new computer stuff, but basically you have to figure it out for yourself,” Jack said. “Once you’ve worked on one, you know the machine.”
Arrow Appliance Repair can fix any make or model of any major appliance, including dishwashers, washers, dryers, ice makers, ranges, refrigerators, vent hoods, cooktops, water heaters, freezers and disposals. They provide same day, in-home service in Corpus Christi, Portland, Padre Island and the surrounding areas.
Members of the Better Business Bureau, they offer senior, teacher and military discounts.
“We give our customers their money’s worth,” Jack said. “We do it in a timely manner and we do it right the first time.”
Arrow Appliance Repair Co.
Corpus Christi, Portland, Padre Island and surrounding areas
361-939-8840
arrowappliancerepair.net
