Wallingford has a new auto shop located at 2221 N 45th Street. Omar’s Tires and General Mechanic opened its doors at the beginning of April. Omar’s Tires is a locally owned family business that started in 2008. The Wallingford shop is its 5th location and the first that is located in Seattle. Remodeling and updating the shop on 45th started in mid-February and they had a soft open near the end of March. Their other stores are in Lakewood, Lynnwood, Everett and Tacoma.
I interviewed Pablo Diego Rodriquez who is the owner of the store and son of the company’s founder. He said the shop offers an affordable option for car repair and tires. Their auto mechanic services include:
- Tune ups and oil changes
- Suspension work (alignments, struts, control arms, etc)
- Brakes
- Transmissions
- Exhaust systems
- General mechanics, most anything to do with your car
I asked Pablo if they could replace a head gasket on a 2008 Subaru Outback (because this is Wallingford after all…). Yes, absolutely was the answer. They had just replaced a valve cover on an Outback. If you have an EV or Hybrid, Omar’s can work on most things (brakes, suspension, tires) but not the batteries or electronics.
The store sells aftermarket wheels along with new and used tires. I learned that used tires can be a great option if you want to save a bunch of money and they can last you many years. With five local stores, Omar’s Tires has a large inventory of new and used tires.
This site has been home to several auto shops over the years. Since the early 2000’s there has been Walts Auto, Green Care Auto and most recently, Northwest Auto. Given the success of Omar’s Tires at its other locations, hopefully Wallingford will have a great locally owned auto-care option for many years.