Double J's small engine repair shop hosted a retirement lunch party for longtime owner Jerry McCoy on Friday, Aug. 17 to celebrate his contributions to the business.
The event, which was a surprise engineered by family, friends and Double J’s employees, featured barbecue from Bono’s, drinks, and a special retirement cake. As McCoy and his wife Ronda arrived, they were greeted with a warm welcome by guests who offered congratulatory remarks for the veteran shop owner. The retiree thought he was headed to a routine lunch outing with a friend, but instead found himself at a retirement party.
Double J's, founded by Jerry McCoy (nicknamed "Little Jerry”) and Jerry Gray (nicknamed "Big Jerry"), has been in business since 1986. The two were bass fishing buddies who had retired from the Navy and decided to start their own business.
"It’s different, I've been 32 years here," McCoy said. "I met new people, made lots of friends and a lot of acquaintances, a lot of good people."
Not coming to work every morning will be an adjustment, McCoy added. He noted that the community has treated him great, and he has enjoyed every bit of his 32-year tenure with the repair shop.
New owners Karen and Hal Still, who also work in the telecommunications industry, have been best friends with the McCoys for years. They recently purchased Double J's and plan to operate the business for the foreseeable future. The Stills also own and operate Syncworks, which offers network synchronization to the telecom, utilities and cable industries.
"We share a lot of the same values," said Hal Still. "(The McCoys) take care of people. They have the same customers over and over, they treat people like family."
For more information on Double J’s, visit www.doublejrepair.com or call (904) 285-4573. The repair shop is located at 111 Canal Blvd. in Ponte Vedra Beach.
