Living the American Dream, one car repair at a time

Rich Palzewic

Staff

June 16, 2025

NEW FRANKEN – From growing up in El Salvador to graduating from Pulaski High School and eventually earning his ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) Certification from Northeast Technical College (NWTC), Elmer Araujo said the last seven years have been a dream come true.

Moving to Northeast Wisconsin from El Salvador in 2018, Araujo said it’s always been his dream to open an auto repair business and dealership.

Those dreams, he said, came true last year when he started Elmer’s Auto Repair and Sales LLC, located at 5017 Algoma Road in New Franken.

Though Araujo, 24, applied for his LLC last August, he said he only officially began operations March 1 at the New Franken location.

“I was originally planning to start in Manitowoc, but it’s a bit far away from this area,” he said. “Manitowoc didn’t work out, but then I found this location in New Franken. So far, things have been going well. As the weather has improved, we are getting busier.”

Araujo said opening his business “has been a blessing.”

“I have liked working for others, but it was time for me to go out on my own and do something else,” he said. “A lot of people say it’s tough to open a business – and it is – but so far, we’ve had a lot of support, and all the customers have been super nice.”

In addition to auto repairs, Araujo said Elmer’s Auto buys and sells used cars.

“I’ll do anything,” he laughed. “It can be as simple as brake pads to rebuilding an entire engine. Right now, there is a Subaru Forester engine in here that is completely torn apart, and then I’ll rebuild it and put it back together.”

The American Dream

Growing up in San Salvador – the capital of El Salvador with a population of more than 500,000 – Araujo said he got his start in auto repair at a young age.

He said his parents would buy him RC (radio-controlled) vehicles, and he often found himself taking them apart and putting them back together.

“Also, when I was in El Salvador, I took some classes on CNC (computer numerical control) and lathes,” he said. “I would say I was always pretty mechanically inclined – working on cars, etc. My dad had also worked on cars here and there.”

After coming to the U.S. and graduating from Pulaski High School in 2020, Araujo said he enrolled at NWTC.

“I think there were about 50 students in the NWTC program, and only three or four of us graduated with ASE Master Certification,” he said. “Out of all the students (in the program), I was the first to get the certification. I learned a lot from NWTC, but a lot of what I know is just learned from hands-on experience.”

While attending classes at the technical college, Araujo said he also worked at a Green Bay auto repair shop.

“I worked there for about three years total,” he said. “After I graduated from NWTC, I was their shop manager for about a year.”

From there, the desire to branch out on his own led Araujo to search for a location to open a shop.

“I had always wanted to build something of my own,” he said. “I always told my wife, Ava, that one of my dreams was to start a small dealership, buying and selling used cars. I like working on cars. It makes me feel good when I fix them and know they will last. I like to help people out, too.”

Araujo said one of his favorite things to do is to buy a car that has been sitting for years and get it running again.

“I bought a 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup that had been sitting in a field in Cecil (by Shawano) since 2001,” he said. “I got it running and built it from the ground up. Some dealers have really high prices, but I try to keep my prices lower so people can afford a vehicle.”

Araujo said he and Ava travel around Wisconsin to attend car auctions.

“I’ll buy vehicles and give them a thorough check,” he said. “If something needs to be fixed on them, I’ll make sure it’s fixed before putting them on the lot. A few people have even traded vehicles in. I’m always willing to work with a customer. In today’s economy, it’s hard.”

Though Araujo said the shop has specific hours, he will accommodate special circumstances to the best of his ability.

“I’m normally here from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but if a customer needs me to be here at a different time, I do my best,” he said. “I don’t have a website yet, but social media is our main means of advertising now.”

Araujo said for now, it’s status quo moving forward as he continues to grow the shop’s awareness and clientele.

“Hopefully, as things improve, word gets out and we do a good job, we can grow to multiple locations – if God allows it,” he said. “Right now, it’s just Ava and me. I fix the cars, and she cleans them nicely.”

For more information on Elmer’s Auto Repair and Sales, contact Araujo directly at 715-584-4310.

Climate shock

Being situated about 950 miles north of the equator in San Salvador, compared to about 3,000 miles here in Northeast Wisconsin, Araujo said it was quite a “climate shock” moving here from Central America.

Per weather.com, the average temperature in San Salvador typically doesn’t drop below about 65 degrees, with highs routinely in the mid- to upper-80s.

Though it’s “a lot colder here,” Araujo said he enjoys the change.

“I love it here,” he said. “I have learned to love winter here and snowmobiling. I also really like jet skiing in the summer. El Salvador is very tropical in nature, with no snow. It was definitely a change, but honestly, I don’t mind the cold.”