BY IVAN SANDERS

STAR STAFF

ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com

Imagine traveling after dark on I-81 coming home from Knoxville when out of nowhere the vehicle you are driving begins to make strange noises and then completely shuts down on the side of the road.

Calling Ghost Busters won’t help but picking up the phone and calling C&K Towing Service gets help on the way to get you back home.

For that reason, the 2019 Reader’s Choice for best Wrecker Service goes to the local towing company owned by Wes Johnson, who took over the successful business just a few short years ago.

“That was one thing that I was worried about coming into the business because Keith Lyons owned it before and when someone new comes in you worry that people will change who they use,” stated Johnson.

Johnson’s philosophy of running his business falls in line with what many have called the Golden Rule.

“We have pretty much just treated everybody the way that we want to be treated,” Johnson said. “Good service and one thing we try to do is too much because I hate to tell anybody no.

“It isn’t because of money or whatever. I just hate to leave somebody sitting and especially not picking up someone I know.”

Johnson said that another one of his primary focuses in regards to his customers is to make his service affordable.

“We also want to offer fair prices. We try to help everybody out especially like if we are in Kingsport and with a truck already there in Kingsport, we will cut a rate coming back where I don’t have to pay for gas going back over there,” stated Johnson.

“And even if someone is sitting in Florida when they pick the phone up and call us, we will go get them. We go everywhere.”

Johnson said receiving the honor means a lot to him as a business owner, especially with a market that has several options to choose from.

“It makes you feel good and especially with as many wrecker services that they are in our small town, it makes you feel good to get voted on by the public,” Johnson said.