A Family’s Fascination for Auto Repair
Among the wall decorations are photos of the family’s original store in New Jersey from the early 20th century. Fascinated by the emerging technology of motor vehicles, Ken Gamble, Sr., first opened an “Automotive Department Store” at age 19.
Ken Gamble III, who relocated to South Carolina in 1978, also joined the industry as a young man, working as a mechanic by 18. He spent several years at a Ford dealership before founding his own one-man, one-bay shop in the North Hills section of Greenville.
Over the next 12 years, the company expanded to seven locations. By around 2011, however, that model was faltering due to economic pressures and an overconcentration of stores in the greater Greenville market.
Jacob Gamble, Ken’s oldest son, opted to trim the company down to its two most successful, high-volume locations. Jacob, who had his first job at North Hills at age 15, has a degree in Business Marketing from Winthrop University.
“Today, we work on more cars with two stores than we did with seven, and we don’t have to go into debt to pay for what we need,” he said. “Our profitability is way up, and our culture is much better, too.”
Rob Gamble, Ken’s youngest son, joined the business on a full-time basis in 2018 after studying Advertising at the University of South Carolina. Like his older brother, he had started working summers there as a teenager, initially sweeping floors.
“When we were out in public, my dad always seemed to run into people who knew him because of our business,” Rob recalls. “It made me proud. I wanted to carry on the legacy my dad built. It is also very special to get to work with my brother.”
In addition, Rob has known many North Hills employees for much if not all of his life: “They are what make our business special; we would be nothing without them. They have become part of the family.”
The Gambles encourage team members to find a good work-life balance to prevent burnout, a philosophy they aim to model. Jacob, a married father of four, is an active church member and passionate offshore fisherman. Rob and his wife have three children; he also enjoys family fishing excursions and watching South Carolina football games.
As for a potential fourth generation of Gamble auto shop owners, the verdict is still out. The oldest of the group, Jacob’s 18-year-old son, has worked at North Hills during school vacations but soon will head to college with no pressure about his future path.
“My dad never tried to influence me,” Jacob Gamble says. “This was just what I knew, and it also turned out to be what I loved. I’m lucky, because I really do enjoy getting up and coming into work every day.”
