At age 16, Stacey Diaz began working part-time for her father’s automotive repair shop. Little did she know that one day, she would be serving the children and even grandchildren of her earliest customers.
“I see some of these teenagers walk in today, and it blows my mind that they’re old enough to drive!” Diaz says. “How is it possible? But I feel so very blessed, because success in this industry is all about building relationships.”
Diaz, 53, has co-owned Wayside Garage in Seaside, California, with her husband, Sam Diaz, since her dad retired in 2014. As chief executive officer, she leads a team of 13 that includes her younger daughter Sabrina Diaz, 24, now general manager and chief operating officer. Sam, a mechanic by trade, also serves in an administrative role and is Wayside’s shuttle driver.
The business has two locations on the same street: a main shop, which is heavy on diagnostics for all makes and models, and a second shop focused on electric and hybrid vehicles that opened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In her three-plus decades at Wayside, Diaz has learned on the job and taken numerous industry training classes. The shop also is part of two Advanced Technology Institute training and coaching programs.
Known for her drive and empathy, Diaz signs off on her emails with a quote from Bobby Unser: “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.”
“She’s a beast of a woman,” Sabrina Diaz says. “She not only leads by example but is there for you when you are struggling physically or mentally. She listens, understands and encourages everyone to continue with perseverance.”
Wayside Garage originally opened in 1946. Diaz’s father, Pat McDonald, took over as owner-operator in 1986; her mother, Bobette McDonald, was in charge of bookkeeping. At the time, Diaz, the oldest of four siblings, was a high school student considering a career as a physical education teacher.
But as Diaz helped her parents with office tasks after school, she grew fascinated by the automotive repair business and its required detective work. She can still recite prices for basic services in the mid-80s, such as tune-ups for four-, six- and eight-cylinder engines.
“That’s $125, $160 and $175,” she says with a laugh. “What I most learned is running a shop takes dedication but is very fulfilling, because it’s about getting people back on the road so they can take care of their families.”
While Diaz has never worked on cars herself, she has long peppered the shop’s technicians with questions. She also is an ASE Certified Service Consultant and is ASE Certified in Auto Maintenance and Light Repair.
“If I could understand what’s being done, I could explain it to customers in simple terms, so their eyes don’t glaze over,” Diaz notes.
After graduating from high school, Diaz took a few general education classes in community college but quickly decided she wanted to be at the family shop full-time. She worked mostly as a service advisor until Pat McDonald was ready to step aside.
“My husband and I had a heart-to-heart talk (about taking over) and realized, ‘We can’t NOT do this,’” Diaz recalls. “So many customers were like family to me. Where would I send them? We had to do what needed to be done.”
Wayside has been in its 3,200-square-foot, four-lift location since 2019. Its nearby EV and hybrid shop has a 3,000-square-foot space split into two sides, one with three lifts and the other used to store cars waiting on parts or extensive repairs. In the future, that area could turn into a detail shop, classic car repair shop or small training center.
Preventative maintenance is a priority for Wayside, as is continuing education. The shop requires a minimum of 40 hours of annual training, often sends team members to conferences and hands-on classes, and holds a weekly staff lunch–Sam cooks–to discuss shop topics.
“Our industry is evolving very quickly,” Stacey Diaz notes. “It’s important for our team to set the bar high for themselves to better care of our customers. My guys are always up for a challenge.”
Diaz’s children spent many hours at Wayside as they grew up. While older daughter Samantha eventually went into the hospitality industry, Sabrina gravitated toward cars; Stacey remembers her helping to replace a radiator at age 16 and the engine on her own 2010 truck at 20.
“I love that she’s willing to get her hands dirty,” Diaz says. “She’s already light years ahead of where I was at her age.” Having another woman in a leadership role is another point of pride for Diaz, who has seen more female students coming for shop tours on school field trips.
Outside Wayside, Diaz has coached youth cheerleading and softball and enjoys camping and beach outings. The business is involved in multiple community projects, including efforts to provide food, hygiene products and behavioral health care to people in need; Diaz also sits on Monterey Peninsula College Auto Technology Program’s Advisory Board.
With Wayside on track to top $3 million in annual sales, Diaz would one day love to open a third location that specializes in either European or Japanese vehicles. And she is passionate about training younger generations of technicians and service advisors.
“We will always need more ‘Heroes of Mobility’, as I call my team, on the job helping people,” she says. “It’s also just a lot of fun.”
