Pete Smith had a knack for fixing transmissions, but he also knew a thing or two about diagnosing and repairing vehicles. Combine that with a strong work ethic and an office chock full of shop manuals and you’ve got a recipe for a successful business.
And Smith’s grandchildren, Kristi and Dallas, have set their sights on making sure that Pete Smith Automotive is hitting on all cylinders as it approaches 80 years in business.
Pete Smith Automotive has seven shops, with an eighth set to open soon in Youngsville. Kristi and Dallas are third-generation Smiths to help run the stores, two of which are in Henderson, with one in Warrenton, three in Louisburg and one in Rolesville.
Kristi said she and Dallas each had careers in the corporate world, but they answered the call to work in the family business within the last year. With her background in managing people and his focus on payroll, the two are assuming responsibility for keeping the shops running smoothly.
But it’s not just the nuts-and-bolts of running a business that are important for the Smiths.
They’re committed to continuing the feeling of “family” the business has fostered over the years. “We will treat you as you would want to be treated,” Dallas said, “as if you were part of our family.”
“You can take your car anywhere to get it fixed,” he said, “but here, you’ll feel like you’re included and part of the family.” At Pete Smith Automotive, the manager is likely to not just know your name but also ask you how your day is going. “That’s important and that stuff matters,” Dallas said.
Kristi concurs. “We always put the customer first, no matter what. We train our managers and staff to always have the customer in mind…from the second you walk in the door.”
Whether it’s the customer who brought in a ’68 Plymouth for a new set of whitewall tires to complete that vintage look, or the one who brought in his 2026 dually truck, the shop staff at Pete Smith is ready to roll up their sleeves to provide quality service.
“We really can work on it all,” Dallas said. They prioritize continuing education and sponsor monthly trainings for their technicians in partnership with NAPA to make sure they’re on top of their game.
It’s important to stay current to handle the requirements of new vehicles with all its computer chips, sensors and complex systems.
The two give Kristi’s dad, Keith, credit for expanding the business over the years. He started out as a lube tech and then drove the tow truck. Kristi remembers the CB radio that sat by her father’s recliner when she was younger. “I thought it was something special when I’d get to go ride,” she said, recalling riding shotgun in that tow truck.
Kristi is giving her 11-year-old daughter Lilli a taste of that same experience of being part of the family business – not riding shotgun in a tow truck but assisting her mom in creating a stronger social media presence. Lilli, phone in hand, took photos of her mom and her uncle during the interview. (Click Play below to Listen.)
L-R: John Rose, Dallas Smith, Kristi Smith in WIZS Studio B
Greg is Dallas’s father, and he keeps the main garage, located on Pete Smith Road in Franklin County, humming. “My dad is more focused on the garage’s well-being – that’s his sphere of influence,” Dallas said.
All the Pete Smith Automotive shops provide a full range of services, and each store has an area of expertise. But when it’s necessary, they’ll bring vehicles to the garage, which Dallas calls the “heartbeat of the entire operation.”
Dallas puts his trust and confidence in the technicians at Pete Smith.
“Our guys are very good at what they do,” he said. “Your car is in great hands.” There’s at least one master technician and multiple ASE-certified managers or techs at each location who can handle everything from checking the air pressure in your tires to transmission or engine replacement.
“We will treat you right and get your car right – we are very capable at what we do,” he said.
And in the unlikely event that things don’t go as planned, Kristi said, it’s still “customer first.”
“We make mistakes, but we always tell our customers we will always make it right. If something goes wrong, we’ll take care of it. We’re going to treat you like family.”
Kristi and Dallas say it’s Ma Ruth who instilled that “family-first” mindset into her husband’s business. Ruth Smith died last year, and Kristi said it was Ma Ruth as the grands called her who taught them from an early age to care about people.
“She was the kindest person you would ever meet,” Kristi said. Treating people kindly resonates with Kristi as she brings on board elements of HR that she picked up in her previous corporate career.
Dallas remembers helping Ma Ruth roll quarters as a child. She kept the books for the business until about 10 years ago, and he said his grandmother brought a calm, steady presence to the business, in good times and in not-so-good times.
Today, there are about 50 employees on the Pete Smith payroll, not counting the other five to 10 employees at the Louisburg vehicles sales lot.
Some of those employees have been with the company for decades and can lay claim to having worked with Pete Smith himself. But whether they’re long-time employees or not, they’re loyal. And they’ve welcomed Kristi and Dallas to the business.
“Show us some grace,” Kristi said she told employees upon their arrival. “We’re going to need to lean on you.” Store managers have helped guide the two as they gain experience running things. “They’ve got all the history – they know things we didn’t know,” Kristi added.
Kristi jokes that you probably wouldn’t want her back in the shop area working on your vehicle, but Dallas is another story. He’s done a bit of it all, from working the counter to chipping in back in the shop when they need extra help.
“Never ask your employees to do something you’re not willing to do,” Kristi said. “That’s just how our family operates – we jump in…to do everything we can” to help.
“It’s comforting to know that that’s what we’re known for,” she said. “I’ve always been so proud of being a Smith (and I’m) so proud of our business.”
In 20 years, Pete Smith Automotive will turn 100. Dallas’s son will turn 22. Will he be the fourth generation of Smiths to usher the business into its second century?
If the young man takes a page from his father, who described being at work for Pete Smith Automotive as something that feels like “home,” like it was meant to be, then maybe, just maybe, that answer will be yes.
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