Liss CARSTAR in Crown Point, Ind., celebrates 65 years of business this year and three generations of ownership. Following is the story of the shop.
In October 1946, Ray Liss opened for business as Liss Body Shop. The location was 10 North West Street, in the historic downtown Crown Point, just one block west of the old courthouse.
Thirty years later, the business incorporated as Liss Body & Paint Shop, Inc. and was moved to a new building at 1020 East Summit Street, where it remains today. The 8,900-square-foot building, sitting on just less than 3 acres, was added on to in 1987. The addition allowed for the accommodation of Tolley’s Automotive, a full-service mechanical shop.
Ray Liss retired in 1985 after 39 years of service to the community of Crown Point. He passed away May of 1987. Ray’s wife, Bernice Liss, was the shop’s bookkeeper from 1946 until the late 1980s, when she retired. She recently passed away in February of 2010.
Liss Body and Paint, Inc. became a part of the CARSTAR nationwide franchise in 1992. Today, Liss CARSTAR is operated by Liss’ third generation, Corey Liss, with the assistance and guidance of his father Tom.
The shop is hosting a public open house on Oct. 26 to celebrate its anniversary. The event will feature a vehicle extraction demonstration by the Crown Point Fire Department, child car seat inspections, games and prizes and a paintless dent repair demonstration.
