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William’s Auto Care celebrates 40 years in Sonoma Valley

William’s Auto Care in Sonoma is celebrating its 40th anniversary in Sonoma Valley, serving the automotive repair and maintenance needs of local residents since 1971.
Edwin Ristad started the local operation as “Ed’s Garage,” a one-bay shop on Arnold Drive working on VW bugs. It then moved to West Napa Street before Ristad purchased the property the property at the shop’s present location 18380 Sonoma Highway in Boyes Hot Springs in 1977. It had six bays and three lifts.
In 1985, William Murray, a local general contractor who had known Ristad for years, joined the business as a partner. With a science background, he also had good working knowledge of vehicles, machine maintenance and repair.
After joining the company, Murray designed and helped facilitate the expansion of the garage to eight bays and five lifts, making it the largest independent automotive repair shop in Sonoma Valley. In 1995, Murray took over the operation and ownership of the business and the named changed to Ed and William’s Garage, which was then changed to William’s Auto Care Center, Inc. in 2008.
AAA approved for 20 years and a designated Napa Auto Care Center, it remains today the largest and oldest auto repair business in Sonoma Valley.
Active in community projects, Murray is the chairman of the Springs Redevelopment Agency, past president of the Business Exchange Sonoma Valley, and active in Rotary Club and Native Sons of the Golden West. He also sponsors photography for charity events in Sonoma and for sonomalife.com.
William’s Auto Care is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays by appointment. Call 996-1056 or go to sonomaautocare.com.