Bunyard duo buys Lube Plus, grand opening Saturday

Jacob and Lacie Bunyard, Colfax residents for the past year, have purchased Colfax Lube Plus from Jim and Joan Berdal of Colfax. The Bunyards have been working to prepare for the launch of Bunyard Automotive and plan a grand opening of the business with barbecue Saturday, July 7, from noon to 4 p.m.

"I always wanted a shop; that's why I went to school in the first place," said Jacob.

Bunyard earned a degree in diesel mechanics at Lewis Clark State College where he graduated at the top of his class. He was employed by Joe Hall Ford in Lewiston while attending school and later when they resided at Orofino. Both were raised in the Orofino area.

Bunyard was always on the look-out for automotive shops that were being closed down. When he saw the sign that Lube Plus had closed, he got the number off the door and contacted Berdal. While Bunyard had looked at shops in Grangeville and Orofino, his family liked Colfax and Berdal.

"This one just felt right," he said. The Bunyards credited the Berdals with helping make the purchase possible.

Jim Berdal operated Lube Plus for 20 years. He is now employed at Papé Machinery. The business was founded five years earlier by Dave and Sandy Holtzheimer of Colfax.

Bunyard is "well-versed" in Ford diesel power stroke engines and became a Ford diesel power stroke tech while working at Joe Hall, which sent him to special training sessions in Seattle, Utah and Iowa.

Bunyard said he is grateful to his instructors at LCSC, Stan Wilson, Mike Hill and Erick Cummings, as well as his mentor at Joe Hall Ford, William (Pecos) Davenport. Bunyard also worked at Jess Ford in Pullman.

The Bunyards plan to operate the business in the same format as Lube Plus by providing mechanical repairs as well as lube, oil and filter changes and servicing of vehicles. They are set to open July 9, but Bunyard has already had a few customers stop by the shop at random asking for oil changes.

"I'm very excited. I've been waiting for this for a long time," Bunyard said.

They have five children ranging in age from five years to nine months.

"They'll be our helpers," Lacie said. Lacie will be greeting customers and handling the book.

In addition to the barbecue, they will have drawings at the grand opening with the top prize, two concert tickets to Kane Brown.

The Bunyards have partnered with NAPA for many of the prizes which include a gear wrench tool set, basketballs, microfiber towels and virtual reality headset. Tickets will be given out at the grand opening, but people do not have to stay for the drawing to win.