George’s Body Shop

 George’s Auto Parts

 A Family Business

George’s has been a family owned and operated business in St. Ignace for over 50 years. It all started with a man named George Dekeyser who, during the early fifties, was an automobile dealer from Wisconsin. George would make an annual fishing trip to Canada which brought him through the small but busy town of St. Ignace. It was during one of these fishing trips that George happened to break down in St. Ignace. The Mackinac Bridge was still under construction and although the town was busy with activity from the construction George found it difficult to find someone to help repair his vehicle. It was at that moment that the legacy of what would become George’s Body Shop and George’s Auto Parts was born. Upon returning home from his fishing trip George eventually decided to move his family to St. Ignace and established George’s Body Shop providing repair and towing services to the community.  From this beginning George’s Auto Parts was later born and the two entities that share his name became a part of the history of St. Ignace. Upon George’s retirement, his three sons took over operations of the family business. James Dekeyser, who ran the parts yard, while Patrick and Norman ran the repair division. Still in business today the two companies are now under the direction of George’s grandson Lance Dekeyser. Lance, who is a U. S. Army Veteran, first started working in the repair shop and then moved to the parts Yard learning the ropes from his Uncle James and eventually took over operations upon his Uncles retirement. Lance eventually took over running the repair division as well and having a great aptitude for improving sales and efficiency of operations both the body shop and parts division are still thriving today. Under Lance’s direction George’s Body Shop has moved from its longtime location on State Street to a newer and bigger location located at 110 Bertrand street. The parts Yard has also been taken into a greener direction as well. George’s Auto Parts is a member of the Auto Recyclers of Michigan an organization that helps promote an environmentally friendly way of recycling used autos, gone are the days of “Junk Yards”.  A fourth generation of Dekeysers are now involved in the family business, two of Lances sons, Chase and Lance Dekeyser Jr are working together to help run the parts division. On behalf of everyone at George’s we would like to thank the people of St. Ignace for your continued support.