The car wrecking business has been going strong since 1955 | News, sports, jobs
FAMILY BUSINESS Christopher Dacanay – Members of the Cutri family gather in front of the main garage of Rocky’s Auto Wrecking, a family-owned auto parts salvage business that has been in operation since 1955. From left are Joe Cutri, Frances Cutri, Rocky Cutri Jr. and Rocky Cutri Sr. They are accompanied by their dogs Dumpster, left, and Reese.
MINGO JUNCTION – When driving south along State Route 7 south of Mingo Junction, looking out the window to the right will allow you to catch a glimpse of Rocky’s Auto Wrecking.
Located at 612 County Road 74, Rocky’s is a family-owned auto parts salvage business that has been around since 1955. In addition to offering towing services, Rocky’s buys scrapped or destroyed cars, sells the usable parts, and recycles the what’s left.
With nearly 70 years in business, Rocky’s has accumulated quite a few cars on its approximately 60 acres of property that lie between County Road 74 and Cross Creek. The total is certainly more than employees say they can count, although changes in the landscape and car count can be tracked by aerial photographs of the junkyard hanging in the company office.
Inside that office are Rocky Cutri Jr. and his son, Joe Cutri, who together represent two of the three generations that work there. Running the show are Rocky Cutri Sr. and his wife, Frances Cutri.
Rocky Cutri Sr. founded the company just down the road from where he grew up, said Rocky Cutri Jr. Mechanically inclined from a young age, Rocky Cutri Sr. has always been someone who “find value in used parts.”
“We truly believe in repurposing things (at Rocky’s),” Rocky Cutri Jr. said, later adding, “My father saw value in everything. That’s why he didn’t get rid of things.”
Rocky Cutri Sr., now 92, echoed this sentiment, commenting: “I have always been a saver. I never threw anything away.”
He was one of nine children of Joseph Cutri, an Italian immigrant. The latter worked on the railroad and ended up getting his son a job switching tracks when he was 15 years old. It was dangerous work, Rocky Cutri Sr. recalled, noting how he was once forgotten in a trackside cabin for five days, with nothing but snow around.
Rocky Cutri Sr. was passionate about mechanics and loved discovering how things worked, gaining attention in the city as the reference in mechanical assistance. At the age of 8, he already had enough knowledge to build his own go-kart, attaching a gasoline engine to his mother’s washing machine.
“I just fell in love with (cars),” said Rocky Cutri Sr., adding that his father was just the opposite, refusing to even ride in a car.
Rocky Cutri Jr. said: “Here is my grandfather – no cars. And here is my father – thousands of cars.”
In the early 1950s, Rocky Cutri Sr. began doing business in mechanics, eventually becoming involved in demolitions through others who donated their scrap cars to him. He bought a property from his brother-in-law, across the street from his house, and intended to turn it into a garage.
Following his father’s advice, Rocky Cutri Sr. first built a house, assisted by his brother Dominic Cutri, before working on the shipyard’s current buildings. This original house is where Rocky Cutri Jr. grew up, right next to the business – a place of fun and memories.
“This place was like our playground. This is where I learned to drive,” Rocky Cutri Jr. said, watching as all of his kids and the neighbors would use the junkyard to practice.
Critical to the business’s growth was the support of Frances Cutri, a former paramedic with the Mingo Junction Fire/EMS Department who frequently worked with the American Red Cross.
Rocky Cutri Jr. inherited his father’s automotive fervor, acquiring skills in the business he entered at an early age. The same goes for Joe Cutri, who went to business school but ended up joining the family business. Currently, Rocky Cutri Jr. and Joe Cutri are 55 and 25 years old respectively with Rocky’s.
The two share a close relationship and a shared love of tinkering. Both are very familiar with the anatomy of cars, but recognize that few people know much about cars these days. Being able to help these people get a cheap auto part that will last a long time is always a good feeling, Rocky Cutri Jr. said.
Many cars came and went from Rocky’s – the oldest car with parts still in the yard is a 1926 Ford Model T. Perhaps the most notable car in the yard was a one-of-a-kind Plymouth Roadrunner, which was owned by a local “T-boned a bridge,” said Rocky Cutri Jr. Luckily, Rocky picked up the wrecked car and held on to it long enough for others to buy and restore it.
Joe Cutri said the business is “A lot of work, but it’s very rewarding. I can’t imagine doing anything else. … If it weren’t for us, those cars would be scattered all over the place. Can you imagine what it would be like? It would be an epidemic.”
Rocky Cutri Jr. added that having a small business means “you’re married to this.” Despite the challenges, the family keeps the atmosphere light with their characteristic sense of humor.
“That’s how you get along, is being able to tell jokes and laugh,” said Frances Cutri. “When things are serious, we won’t make them serious.”
There are plenty of jokes to be made and silly stories to tell, especially regarding previous characters Rocky’s had as crew members – one of whom was remembered for unknowingly emptying a car’s gas tank into a fire extinguisher.
Having been in Mingo Junction for a long time, the Cutris try to stay involved in the community by supporting local causes and donating cars to firefighters for training or for village parades. A fan of Mustangs, Rocky Cutri Sr. himself still loves attending car shows.
As long as people drive cars, there will be a need for auto parts, and as long as there is a need, Rocky’s Cutris will be there to serve.
