Robert and Jenna Wagler are the owners of Tread Rite Steering and Brake rural Oskaloosa. The business officially opened May 1.
by Bridget Weishaar
Just off a quiet gravel road southwest of Oskaloosa sits a newly built mechanic shop called Tread Rite Steering and Brake.
Owners Robert Wagler and wife, Jenna, officially opened the doors May 1 and feel pretty good about the way business has been going thus far.
“I started doing work for family and friends and word of mouth just keeps spreading,” Wagler said.
The name Tread Rite Steering and Brake speaks for itself, specializing in alignments, suspensions, and brakes. Wagler also does oil changes and other small jobs on request.
The two-bay facility, located at 8535 Osage Road, just off Highway 92, was built from the ground up by Wagler himself and a few close friends. It has ample space for all makes and models of vehicles. Parts are delivered to the facility up to two times a day.
A native of Kentucky, Wagler grew up with a wrench in his hand and always knew someday he wanted to own his own mechanic shop.
He moved to Kansas with his family in 2012 at the age of 17, married Jenna in 2016, and opened shop in 2023.
While Robert is the sole mechanic at the business, Jenna has been known to hold a wrench a time or two in exchange for 10 minutes of honey-do requests when asked of Robert.
Working at home has been a benefit to the couple. While Jenna is the secretary, handling appointments and fielding phone calls, Robert is just across the yard when needed.
Wagler credits a part of his newly found success to fellow entrepreneur and good friend, Myles Frye. Frye is the owner and operator of Lone Star Tire Center just around the bend from Tread Rite.
The two businesses complement each other nicely. Frye sells and fixes tires, but doesn’t handle the alignment aspect, therefore recommending his clients to Wagler, and vice versa. The two businesses are less than a mile away from each other as the crow flies.
“There’s plenty of work for all of us. I want to work with other businesses in the county, not against,” Wagler said.
Tread Rite is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday by appointment. Walk-ins are welcome, but the best way to reach Wagler is by calling the business phone during open hours.