Lucas Tire & Auto Care, Chicago

Lucas Tire & Auto Care proprietor Rich Lucas believes there's something to be said for a mom-and-pop shop. For more than three decades, he's kept his business that way, working with a team of ASE-certified techs to ensure vehicles stay in top condition while national chains have popped up and faded away. Today, Rich works alongside his daughters, Melissa and Gineen, to dole out expert repairs and maintenance services. His team's attention to detail keeps vehicles and customers safe and content, but his services go beyond that. Lucas Tire & Auto Care focuses on customer service, launching free shuttles to homes or offices within a 5-mile radius, loaning out free rental cars to customers needing overnight repairs, and sanding and sealing wheel rims after every tire purchase to prevent air from leaking out. At his shop, Rich strives to make his guests feel at home, enticing them to relax and build a blanket fort in front of the big-screen cable TV while mechanics inspect brake pads, fix suspensions, refit air-conditioning and cooling systems, and mend flats, with convenient same-day service for nearly all repair work.