Washburn business stands the test of time
Washburn business stands the test of time In early September 1978, Washburn was a very different community than it is today. Thirty years ago the agriculture-based society was beginning construction on the local power plants, and the town boomed with construction personnel as coal and energy took over Washburn. Over the past 30 years, many societal changes have occurred and the general way of life has been updated. Through the countless changes, several things in Washburn have stayed the same. One of those items is Main Street, which runs through town and ties the local businesses together. One of these specific businesses is Doc’s Shop Inc. and the auto repair has seen it all from the beginning. When owner Tim Dockter opened the shop 30 years ago, he had a bit of help from friend and employee Lee Thompson. The two men worked seamlessly together for almost four years before Thompson took a different path in life. When he decided to follow his heart’s desire into the medical field, Dockter was left alone with the weight of Doc’s Shop on his shoulders. “Up until 1988 I did have people working for me, but when the drought came and things slowed down, I just decided to give it a shot at doing it on my own,” Dockter said, “I’ve kind of been alone here ever since.” Working with cars was nothing new to Dockter. He was raised in a family of mechanics and trained from the very best. He was raised in Washburn, where he spent countless hours at his father’s auto body shop. Dockter attended school in Wahpeton and studied auto mechanics. He spent several years working for dealerships and companies, before deciding to go into business for himself.
