Over the last four decades, Chapman’s Automotive has evolved into more than a repair shop. Its family-based legacy has developed into a dedicated servant-leadership model while also growing in tandem with the evolving community of Craig. 

Founded in 1985 by Carl and Fredoonne Chapman, the business has spanned three generations of the Chapman family. What began as a modest corner garage, focused on oil changes, tires and batteries, it has since turned into a comprehensive service center, expanding its reach and impact across Northwest Colorado.

“Dad worked all his life and tried to retire early,” said J.B. Chapman, who now co-owns the business with his wife, Paula and their nephew Brad. “He made it almost a year before all the phone calls from his customers drove him crazy.”

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It was at that point that Carl and Fredonne opened Chapman’s Automotive Service Center in early 1985. 

That spirit of perseverance and service formed the foundation of the shop and has shaped each generation’s role. After graduating from Moffat County High School in 1984, J.B. left to serve in the U.S. Navy until 1987, when he began working for Farm Bureau Insurance. He remained there until 1994, at which point he returned to help his parents grow the business. He eventually took the reins in 2000, when his father was diagnosed with cancer.

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His high school sweetheart, Paula, also stepped into the business as well to support J.B. and her in-laws. 

That destiny came full circle when J.B.’s nephew, Brad, started working at the shop as a child hauling trash and vacuuming cars. He also rejoined the business in 2024 after a nearly two-decade career as a BMW/Mini-Cooper master technician and shop foreman.

“We felt it was kind of our destiny,” J.B. said. “Somehow, we were going to work together again.”

“It kind of hit both of our destinies that we were meant to work together again, grow the family business and carry on what my grandpa started,” Brad said. “It felt like the right position and the right choice.”

For J.B., the partnership with Brad is not just about continuity — it’s about evolution. 

“As far as I can grow the business, that will be Brad’s floor,” he said. “He’ll take it, and just launch from there.”

That next chapter for the shop is already taking shape. As they have welcomed clients across Moffat and Routt counties, Chapman’s has tailored to the needs of their ever-changing customer base with a sense of purpose and intent.

“We’re blessed, we truly are,” J.B. said. “They have the same automotive needs. They need somebody that cares about them and their vehicles.”

Brad, who is now the Director of Technical Operations for Chapman’s, knows the importance of honoring the past while pushing forward. 

“You have to constantly evolve without losing your past,” he said.

That evolution is much more than just tools and training. It also revolves around a dedication to the smallest things to make customers happy, including details after oil changes, loaner cars, shuttle rides and a culture of leadership and stewardship that is embedded in the shop’s daily operations. 

“We serve a lot of people, and that’s a huge blessing,” Brad said. “Trying to create a great culture is important. The stronger your team is, the stronger of a leader you are.”

Chapman’s is also a reflection of the valley it serves. Whether it’s a rancher from Baggs or a young family from Steamboat, the shop has earned a loyal following that spans geography and generations.

“To have somebody drive 45 miles to sit here for an hour just to have their oil changed, that’s really special,” Brad said.

J.B. credits much of that loyalty to the ethic instilled by his parents.

“If we go all the way back to Mom and Dad, it started with servant leadership,” he said. “Our family was trained from that to just serve people the best that we can.”

Carl Chapman spent 30 years on the fire department and helped build the chamber of commerce building. Fredonne and Paula once hand-washed cars while juggling phones and front desk duties. Even now, the team focuses on treating everyone, including customers, vendors and neighbors, like they are part of the family.

“We just like people,” J.B. said. “And if you like people, you help people. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing in life.”

With another phase of growth on the horizon, the family recently purchased and began renovating the building next door, which is now known as “The Hub.” Plans include a new customer lounge, media center, dog park and a dedicated workspace for customers while they wait for their vehicle to be completed.

The Hub also holds a Sunday night worship service, hosted by the Bible-Based Fellowship at 6 p.m.

“We’re going to build a dog park that we get to use six to seven months of the year,” J.B. said. “So somebody can sit on a park bench or a picnic table and let their dog run around while we’re taking care of their vehicle.”

Inside the shop, training and weekly meals are part of the glue that holds the Chapman’s team together. Advisors and technicians eat together, problem-solve together and plan the future together. One facet that makes Chapman’s unique is that it has its own mission and vision statements, which serve as the framework with which decisions are made. 

The shop also relies on employee-to-employee mentoring as well as peer training.

“Sometimes I think I’m the one that’s going to be doing the mentoring, but I’m still learning,” J.B. said. “Sometimes, these young people are mentoring me.”

J.B., who is nearing what he called ‘the winding down phase,” isn’t planning on stepping away anytime soon.

Like three generations of Chapmans before him, he plans to “step up,” not “step out,” when the time comes. He and Paula still manage the shop alongside Brad, whose growing leadership is guiding the next phase of the service center’s story.

“I might take it easier,” J.B. said. “But, if I can be engaged as long as my health will allow me to be engaged, that’s my goal.”

The deep dedication that J.B. feels for the legacy of the family business is mutually held by Brad, as well as the rest of the family. 

“To be able to help and to serve so many different people, it’s truly a blessing,” Brad said. “We want to maintain our presence in the valley, and someday, maybe even grow into multiple locations.”

At its core, Chapman’s Automotive remains a family endeavor — one where legacy, love and community stewardship drive every decision. While J.B. and Paula’s children have forged their own paths, the family’s heartbeat remains at the shop, where Brad intends to keep the generationally-based commitment to service going until he decides to hang up his hat. 

“It really is a legacy deal,” J.B. said. “We’ve just learned that the more you give in life, the more you get out of life.”

For more information on Chapman’s Automotive and the Chapman family, please visit ChapmansAutomotive.com