Our History - Crawfords Auto Center - Downingtown PA - 24 hour Towing

Crawfords’s Auto Center Inc. History :

In the late 1930’s William Behrndt Sr. open the family’s first mechanical garage in the borough of Downingtown providing mechanical repairs to the local community. This was a part time enterprise while he was employed fulltime as a truck mechanic for Leaman’s Trucking which became Chemical Leaman’s Tank Lines. In 1940 the William Behrndt family move from their residence on Mary Street in Downingtown Pa. to the current location however, began their enterprise on the north side of route 113 as a General Store and outside Garage Repair shop. This business went through its first transition when in year 1955 Route 113 was widened. The original General Store was demolished due to the widening of the roadway and the Behrndt family rebuilt the location as a separate general store building and a separate garage and gas station. These buildings still stand although through the years the businesses have changed.

In 1960's the Behrndt business operated on the south side of route 113 as an automobile salvage dismantling operation originally called Used Auto Parts which changeover to Bill’s Auto Parts. In 1970's the business changed its title to match the population which was growing and becoming less rural. Bill’s Auto Parts changed over to Auto Salvage Engineering which offered a more organized method of dismantling vehicles and provided an inventory of new auto parts in addition to the more traditional salvage yard concept .

In 1967 a new building was erected at the salvage location and the name changed to Crawford’s Auto Center, Inc. Crawford being the first name of Crawford Behrndt brother of William Behrndt II who as the Behrndt Brothers, the operating partners of the business. The new business specialized in 24 hour Towing and Recovery Services and Mechanical Repairs while the original salvage operation remained the same however, business was transacted under the newly accepted name of Crawford’s Auto Center, Inc.

On February 14, 1973 William Behrndt II older brother of Crawford passed away leaving his half of partnership to his wife Alice Behrndt. Crawford Behrndt continued managing the business for another 7 years when in May 1980 William Behrndt’s sons Stephen and Jeffery purchased the Crawford Behrndt’s portion of the business while Crawford moved on the enjoy outside interest.

May 1980 Stephen Behrndt and Jeffrey Behrndt took over the day to day operations of the family business incorporating the collision repair business of Stephen Behrndt’s Pickering Auto Body under the same name as Crawford’s Auto Center Inc. Business grew as the population surrounding the business location attracted many new people into the Central Chester County region.

Auto Body Collision Repair being the predominant business of Crawford’s we also provide mechanical repairs, towing service and vehicle storage for our customers.