Gaideski calling Cass Avenue business ‘3-G’s’

Published 7:58 am Tuesday, April 6, 2004

By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
For Joe Gaideski, it was like coming home.
When he and his wife, Tricia, purchased the former Mike Franks Body Shop at 101 Cass Ave. in January, Gaideski found himself occupying the same office where his mom, Elsie, once worked for Planet Tool Engineering.
There is a fireplace foundation on the parklike flat where there used to be a 1 1/2-story house. Gaideski suspects the fireplace may have been for outside barbecuing.
Gaideski brings 21 years of experience to the first shop of his own.
He envisioned the business being a third insurance work, a third custom jobs and a third rust work.
Once Gaideski gets the shop organized to his satisfaction, he wants to have a grand opening.
Gaideski's 5,000-square-foot garage shares space with Whit's, an income tax preparation and accounting business.
Gaideski has almost four acres along the creek. In the winter he got used to watching a half dozen deer saunter around and feed on the foliage before heading back in the direction of the golf course.
The "3-G's" refers to the Gaideskis' three girls: Tori, who shares her birthday with her paternal grandfather, turns 13 May 1; Kara is 9; and Rylie is 1. They live on Frost Street in Pokagon Township.
Tricia (Riley) is an accounting specialist for Cassopolis Public Schools.
Gaideski ran the Hayden-Beardslee Ford dealership body shop for about a year during his 10 years there as a painter.
He also worked in Benton Harbor, Stevensville and Plainwell.
Gaideski and former co-workers Don Bonomo and Dave Stolpe all have their own shops now.