Ridge Auto Service was founded by Wilmer Ridge in 1938. He was born in Trevose, Bucks County, PA in 1911. His younger brother George joined him after graduating from Bensalem High School in 1938. The first location was on the west side of Route 1 where the Old Lincoln Drive-in Theater was later built. In the year 1941, George was drafted into the army for one year. Wilmer was drafted later in 1944 and Ridge Auto Service closed for the next two years. George fought in the European theater with the 10th armored division where he participated in the Battle of the Bulge and liberated 101st Airborne in Bastogne. Wilmer remained state-side where he serviced classified military vehicles in Aberdeen, MD. George and Wilmer were honorably discharged in 1945 and 1946 respectively.
In 1946 the shop re-opened, this time across the street on the east side of Route 1. At that time they had
formed a partnership and operated at that location for 19 years until September of 1965 when the garage was bulldozed for the widening of Route 1. The two brothers made plans to build at 3036 Mechanicsville Rd and in 1965 opened their doors once again.
In 1976 George’s youngest daughter Doris married Dylan Lynn, who at the time was a shop teacher at Pennridge High School. Dylan joined the partnership in 1981 and became sole owner of Ridge Auto Service Inc. in 1987. Wilmer died in 1989. Dylan and Doris’s son Bret became a full-time employee in 2000 and George officially retired after 67 years, in 2005. He passed away Thursday, April 30th, 2009. He left behind his loving wife Helen, his two daughters, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by family, friends, and loyal customers.