By Christopher Dacanay FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS — The Catoli family gathers in front of the main garage of Rocky's Auto Wrecking Co., a family-owned auto parts dismantling business that's been in business since 1955. From left, Joe Catoli, Francis Catoli, Rocky Catoli Jr. and Rocky Catoli Sr. Also with them are their dogs, Dumpster (left) and Reese.
MINGO JUNCTION — Driving south along State Route 7 just south of Mingo Junction, you look out the right window and catch a glimpse of Rocky's Auto Wrecking.
Located at 612 county Road 74, Rocky's is a family-owned auto parts salvage business that has been in business since 1955. In addition to providing towing services, Rocky's buys junk and wrecked cars, sells usable parts and recycles leftover parts.
Rocky's, which has been in business for almost 70 years, has a sizeable fleet of cars on the roughly 60 acres between County Road 74 and Cross Creek. The total is certainly more than its employees can count, but an aerial photo of the junkyard on display in the company's offices shows the changing landscape and number of cars.
The office is manned by Rocky Catri Jr. and his son Joe Catri, who represent two of the three generations who work there, and it's run by Rocky Catri Sr. and his wife, Frances Catri.
Rocky Khatri Sr. founded the company just a short distance from where he grew up, said Rocky Khatri Jr. Interested in machines from an early age, Rocky Khatri Sr. was always someone who “saw the value in used parts.”
“We're really big on reusing things[at Rocky's],” Rocky Catri Jr. said, later adding, “My dad saw value in everything, so he wouldn't throw anything away.”
Rocky Khatri Sr., now 92, agreed. “I've always been frugal. I never wasted anything.”
He was one of nine children of Italian immigrant Joseph Catri, who worked on the railroad and took a job switching tracks when his son was 15. It was dangerous work, Rocky Catri Sr. recalled, and he was once left alone in a shed beside the tracks for five days in the snow.
Rocky Catri Sr. had a passion for mechanical engineering and loved figuring out how things worked, which made him a popular mechanical engineering consultant around town. At age 8, he had enough know-how to build his own go-kart by attaching a gasoline motor to his mother's washing machine.
“I just fell in love with (the car),” Rocky Khatri Sr. said, adding that his father was the complete opposite and refused to even ride in one.
“This is my grandfather, he didn't have a car,” Rocky Catoli Jr. said, “And this is my father, he had thousands of cars.”
In the early 1950s, Rocky Catley Sr. started out repairing cars and eventually got into the salvage business after people donated their junk cars to him. He bought the land across from his house from his brother-in-law with the intention of turning it into a garage.
Following his father's advice, Rocky Catri Sr. built a house with the help of his brother Dominic Catri before constructing the current shipyard building. That original home is where Rocky Catri Jr. grew up, is located right next door to the business and holds fond memories.
“This was like our playground. This is where we learned to drive,” Rocky Catoli Jr. said, noting that his kids and neighbors all used the junkyard to practice.
A big part of the business’ growth has been the support of Francis Catoli, a former paramedic with the Mingo Junction Fire/EMS Department who has worked frequently with the American Red Cross.
Rocky Catri Jr. inherited his father's passion for cars and developed his skills in the business he was introduced to early on. Joe Catri did the same, studying business in college but eventually taking over the family business. Today, Rocky Catri Jr. and Joe Catri have been with Rocky's for 55 and 25 years, respectively.
The two are close friends who share a love of tinkering. They both know a lot about car mechanics, but they also recognize that not many people know that much about cars these days. Rocky Catri Jr. says it's always a pleasure to help them get cheap car parts that will last.
Many cars have come and gone at Rocky's over the years; the oldest car with surviving parts is a 1926 Ford Model T. Perhaps the plant's most famous car is a one-of-a-kind Plymouth Road Runner, which belonged to a local who had crashed into a T on a bridge, says Rocky Catoli Jr. Thankfully, Rocky's was able to salvage the wrecked car and store it until someone else could buy it and restore it.
Joe Catoli said of the business, “It's hard work, but it's so rewarding. I can't imagine doing anything else. … Without us, those cars would just be sitting around there. Can you imagine what that would be like? It would be all the rage.”
Rocky Catri Jr. added that running a small business means “being married to the business.” Despite the challenges, the family's sense of humor keeps the mood light.
“The key to getting by is being able to joke and laugh,” says Francis Catri. “When things are serious, we don't take them so seriously.”
There are plenty of jokes and funny stories, especially regarding the characters of Rocky's previous crew, one of whom I recall unknowingly emptying his car's gas tank into a fire extinguisher.
As longtime Mingo Junction residents, the Catoli family tries to stay involved in the community by supporting local causes and donating cars for fire department training and village parades, and Rocky Catoli Sr., a Mustang fan himself, still loves attending car shows.
As long as people drive cars, there will be a demand for auto parts, and as long as there is demand, Cutris of the Rockies will continue to provide its service.
