Power-equipment engine service shop opens in the Valley
Juneau residents have another option for servicing their power equipment. Josh Moeser, a factory-authorized technician for Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki power equipment, opened Southeast Cycle Works in October.
"I'll work on anything they build," said Moeser, who said he has been repairing engines part time for about 14 years. "Motorcycles, ATVs, toys, whatever."
Moeser, a Juneau native, went to school at the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Phoenix, Ariz., for 1 1/2 years to receive certification from Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki. He quit his job as the assistant port engineer at Allen Marine so he could devote his time to the new business.
"It was time to just quit my job at Allen Marine and do what I love to do full time," Moeser said. "And it was getting kind of busy, so it was tough to do both."
Moeser and his wife, Katherine Kokotovich, have two children. Kokotovich co-owns the shop and manages the paperwork.
"I'm going to be doing the bookkeeping, making sure all our bills are paid, depositing the payments we receive, paying the sales taxes ... Basically I'm the office manager," she said.
She also works as a benefits accountant for Tlingit-Haida Central Council.
Tom Krehbiel, Moeser's former supervisor at Allen Marine, said he was sorry to see him leave the company.
"We want him back," he said. "He was a very handy fabricator, meaning he can just take a plate of aluminum and build whatever he wants out of it. It's not easy to do that."
Krehbiel said that in addition to being a very talented small-engine repair technician, Moeser built several boats at Allen Marine in his spare time.
Opening Southeast Cycle Works wasn't too much work for Moeser, since he already had the tools, the skills and the customer base.
"It was pretty much just getting the place, getting my stuff moved in, and getting some advertisements out there," Moeser said. He plans to rely on newspaper advertisements and word of mouth for marketing.
Despite the name, Moeser does not work on many motorcycles at Southeast Cycle Works.
"It's mostly power equipment, lawn mowers, generators, Jet Skis and snowmachines," he said.
The shop, at 10004 Glacier Highway, will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Moeser said. The phone number is 790-6686.
Christine Schmid can be reached at cschmid@juneauempire.com.