Photos by TERRI WATTS

Located at 888 Oregon Avenue in Burns, Hometown Auto is a full-service mechanic shop, car wash, and U-Haul rental site. 

Tyrel and Teri (McConnell) Peasley both grew up in Burns, but left the area after graduating from high school.

Teri’s childhood friend, McKiah (Aamodt) Schroeder, also grew up in Burns and left after high school.

You can call it fate. You can call it coincidence. Perhaps you can chalk it up to the lasting impression that Harney County tends to have on folks, but all three found their way back home, and they brought their families along for the ride. 

The Peasleys (and their two young sons) moved back to Burns in 2017. Schroeder — along with her husband, Jon, and their two sons — found her way back in 2021. 

Now, the group of friends share a parking lot and moniker for their pair of hometown businesses. They said they’re glad to be home, and they don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

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Hometown Auto

After spending six years in Central Oregon, the Peasleys purchased a farm on the outskirts of Burns and started producing hay and raising cattle. 

Teri said she and Tyrel wanted to raise their sons, Kholt, 7, and Kholby, 5, at home in Harney County, as most of their family lives here. 

“Family is very important to both Tyrel and I, and knowing our boys are able to grow up around their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins means so much to both of us,” Terri said.

After relocating to Burns, Tyrel — who has more than 15 years of experience in the field — began working at local auto shops and looking for opportunities to branch out on his own. 

When Bennett Muffler came up for sale earlier this year, the Peasleys jumped on the opportunity to open their own business. They changed the name to Hometown Auto to pay homage to their roots. 

“Hometown Auto is a full-service mechanic’s shop, but we do not do tires.,” Tyrel said.

Tyrel explained that his previous supervisor, Scott Tiller at Point S Tires, encouraged him to pursue his dream of owning his own shop, so he doesn’t want to compete with Point S. 

In addition to being a full-service shop, Hometown Auto offers a drive-through car wash and U-Haul rentals.

Tyrel is currently Hometown Auto’s only full-time employee. However, his relatives, Ethan Peasley-Richardson and Kevin Peasley, work after school and on Saturdays. In addition to operating the car wash, the high schoolers can be found helping out in the shop. 

Once the school year ends, the enterprising employees will work on a more full-time basis. However, until then, Teri’s dad, Cody McConnell, will be helping Tyrel in the shop.

Breaking into a smile, Teri said, “My dad is here just as much as Tyrel and I are. We really appreciate all he has done, and continues to do, to help us out.”

According to Teri, the shop has stayed busy since it opened, and she’s spent a lot of time in the office scheduling appointments. 

Although they do their best to accommodate customers who need urgent assistance, Hometown Auto asks that customers call ahead to schedule an appointment. 

“We want to provide the best service we can to all of our customers,” Teri explained. “Hometown Auto has some of the greatest customers any business could ever ask for, and we want them all to know how much we appreciate each and every one of them.” 

For more information about the services available at Hometown Auto, or to schedule an appointment, call (541) 573-6386. 

Located at 888 Oregon Avenue in Burns, Hometown Auto (including the car wash and U-haul rentals) is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weather permitting, the car wash is also open on Saturdays. 

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Hometown Barbershop

McKiah Schroeder, the owner of Hometown Barbershop, said she and her husband, Jon, moved to Burns from Lincoln City because they wanted to raise their sons, Emmett, 4, and Cooper, 1, in a smaller community.

“I grew up in Burns, and once Jon and I started our family, we made it our goal to move back to Burns to raise our boys,” Schroeder said. “Most of my extended family lives in the Burns-Hines area. Raising our boys and being able to give them the opportunity to grow up close to so many family members is important to both Jon and I.”

Schroeder attended Phagens Beauty College, and although she is licensed to do nails and aesthetics, she prefers providing men’s haircuts. She has been cutting men’s hair for  the last seven years.

After moving back to Burns, Schroeder rented booth space in the old Harney Electric building, which now called The Shop. Although she enjoyed working in The Shop, Schroeder couldn’t pass up the opportunity to open her own business in a building on the Peasleys’ property. 

Schroeder said the building required significant renovations, but  the end result was well worth the effort. 

Hometown Barbershop, which is located at 902 Oregon Avenue in Burns, is open Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 pm. Call Schroeder at (541) 589-2120 to schedule an appointment.