Zip Auto – Restoring a Missoula, Montana Auto Shop with a One-Track Mind

Rick Nash was acutely aware of Zip Auto’s http://zipautoservice.com/ historical significance when he acquired the building, and decided in 2006 to restore the deteriorating structure to its former glory. Above all, Nash was determined to retain its historic usage.

With a distinctive beige and baby blue color palette and the words "SERVICE," "LUBRICATION," and "ALINEMENT" [sic] displayed on its north facade, Zip Auto is a difficult building to miss when cruising through downtown Missoula, Montana. But without the preservation efforts of its owner, turning a blind eye to the Art Moderne-style auto repair shop might have become all too easy.

Zip Auto was constructed just as the automobile craze was sweeping through Missoula. Car enthusiasts began offering automobile tours of western Montana based out of Missoula, and according to Paul Filicetti, project architect of the Zip Auto renovation, Missoula’s Main Street became something of an "Automobile Row," with dealerships and repair shops springing up at a remarkable rate.

Nick Som

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