Join us as we search for stories and the recipe to that magic sauce created by the parents on the East Side. It was stirred into their grits, hog maws and collard greens, producing a remarkable peer group of proud, productive African Americans. This first story is the result of several conversations with Buddy Jones about one of the parents who gave us Bobby Bonds, Dusty Baker, Ed Bereal, Alyce Smith Cooper and Buddy Jones. 

East Side Stories:

Buster’s Auto Repair 

By the early 50’s, just north of Park Avenue on the East Side of the tracks you could find Buster’s Auto Repair.  Whether you owned a Chevy Fleetmaster, a Plymouth Fury, a Chrysler Highlander, a Ford Woody, a 1940 Dodge pickup or a Cadillac Coupe de Ville, if something wasn’t working, you took your car to Buster’s.  

In the beginning Buster Jones, an African American East Side resident, worked as a garbage man during the day and repaired cars after work and on the weekends.  Buster could fix your car right the first time for half the cost that a Riverside California dealership would charge.

Word about Buster’s auto repairs spread through the local grapevine.  That social networking of-the-day consisted of telephone party lines, breakfast at the Park Avenue Café, Freemason monthly meetings, the Poly High football team and Bill’s Pub on 10th.  As Buster’s shop gained popularity, the customer profile expanded beyond the East Side African American community.   At some point he took that high-risk leap, quit his job and opened a full-time repair business.

New Rules of the Road.  To understand why a white man would risk reputation by crossing that East Side invisible color line for a fix, you have to understand the relationship between the man and his car.  In the 50’s the American male had fallen head over heels for the automobile.  His ride was his declaration of independence.   So, you can imagine the pain and desperation inflicted by four-wheel disrepair.   This obsession with cars had the power of creating a rainbow coalition of Riverside White, Asian, Latino and African American car owners who would line up behind dad’s garage.   When stopping by to see my friend Eddie Bereal who worked for my dad,  I was amazed more than once to find all-color-of-man, sharing cigarettes while showing off their rides to each other.     

Buster Jones, Auto MD.  Most puzzling to me was the regular flow of white mechanics from the west side who dropped by for a diagnostic consultation.  Confounded with a mysterious engine or transmission malady, they came to him with a desperate plea for help.   Buster would have them flip up the hood to inspect the internals.   Using a wrench like a stethoscope, he would find the problem, suggest a solution, then send them on their way.

 Tool Maker Extraordinaire

Snap-On Tools made their claim to fame during World War II by supplying tools to the military for maintaining their cars and aircraft.  As the post-war baby boomers became car owners, Snap-on sent out reps across the country to sell their tools.  One of their reps regularly dropped off prototype tools for Buster’s evaluation.  Although Buster never attended engineering design school, he developed an uncanny ability to analyze a new tool to quickly identify flaws.  After a good night’s sleep Buster would wake up with a solution. The next day he would give his redesign to the Snap-on rep.  Buster was redesigning tools, tools that were sold to thousands of users.  And his consultations were provided at no cost!

Our local Renaissance Man.  My best friend Eddie Bereal attended an informal apprenticeship at Buster’s Auto Repair.  Over several summers Eddie dismantled and repaired engines, carburetors, transmissions and axles.   He learned to arc weld and paint.   Eddie emerged with a skill set that served him well while attending the Chouinard Institute of Art in Los Angeles.  He would utilize these skills in the production of hundreds of pieces of art, many of which are on their way to the Smithsonian Institute.   

Now my friend Eddie B is someone everyone needs to know.  But that is another story.

Looking back, it is so abundantly clear that Buster Jones, my old man would have held his in own during the Renaissance as a master of mechanics and as a creator of tools.   And when it comes to storytelling, he captivated many a group in our living room. Storyteller extraordinaire.  Well, that is another story.  

 A Story from the East Side

Interview with Buddy Jones

Written by Andre James

July 2020

Local Heroes - Eastside Riverside, California 1940's -50's

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