The Lift Garage
Official The Lift Garage business agent. The Lift Garage provides low-cost car repairs to support the community.
About The Lift Garage
The Lift Garage is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing affordable car repair services to low-income individuals in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, The Lift caters to clients meeting the 150% Federal Poverty Guideline and operates with a mission to not only repair cars but to assist clients on their journey out of poverty. The organization highlights the domino effect of car repair costs affecting employment and housing stability and aims to alleviate these pressures.
Founded by Cathy Heying, a social worker who pursued a degree in auto technology to address the cost barriers in car repair, The Lift Garage opened its doors in 2013. Since then, the garage has expanded from a single volunteer mechanic to a full team, offering a wide range of auto services while maintaining a focus on social justice, hospitality, and community integration.
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About The Lift Garage
The Lift Garage is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing affordable car repair services to low-income individuals in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, The Lift caters to clients meeting the 150% Federal Poverty Guideline and operates with a mission to not only repair cars but to assist clients on their journey out of poverty. The organization highlights the domino effect of car repair costs affecting employment and housing stability and aims to alleviate these pressures.
Founded by Cathy Heying, a social worker who pursued a degree in auto technology to address the cost barriers in car repair, The Lift Garage opened its doors in 2013. Since then, the garage has expanded from a single volunteer mechanic to a full team, offering a wide range of auto services while maintaining a focus on social justice, hospitality, and community integration.
Contact Information:
- Location: 2401 E. Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406
- Phone: (612) 866-5840
- Email: info@theliftgarage.org
Working Hours:
- Monday to Friday: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
- Saturday and Sunday: Closed
In addition to repair services, The Lift seeks to broaden its social impact through community outreach, education, and partnerships with local organizations.
Please note, appointments must be scheduled in advance for all services.
From theliftgarage.org
What The Lift Garage does
The Lift Garage offers a variety of services focusing on affordable car repair for Minnesotans facing financial challenges. Here's a rundown of their key services:
Inspections and Repairs
Read more
What The Lift Garage does
The Lift Garage offers a variety of services focusing on affordable car repair for Minnesotans facing financial challenges. Here's a rundown of their key services:
Inspections and Repairs
The Lift provides free inspections by appointment, which focus on safety and drivability issues. After the inspection, they present an estimate for low-cost car repairs.
Mobile Van Program
For vehicles that are not running or require towing, The Lift offers free mobile van inspections to assess if the vehicle should be transported to their shop for a full inspection.
Pre-Purchase Inspections
The Lift also conducts free pre-purchase inspections to help potential buyers understand needed repairs before purchasing a used car.
Express Services
Every Friday from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, The Lift provides walk-in Express Services on a first-come, first-served basis. Services include fluid top-offs, bulb and headlight replacements, wiper blade and battery checks, and replacements.
Group Car Care Class
They offer a private car care class designed to increase vehicle knowledge and confidence for safer road experiences.
For precise service details, it is advised to book appointments direct from the shop.
From theliftgarage.org
Where The Lift Garage works
Lists Mobile, Frederick, Minneapolis, Opportunity, and Chicago Loop as a location. Names Minnesota as a service area. Areas beyond these are not published.
Prices
At The Lift Garage, affordability is key to their mission of supporting low-income Minnesotans with vehicle repairs. Here's a breakdown of their pricing structure:
- Labor Cost: Clients are charged $28 per hour for labor, which is significantly lower than typical market rates.
- Parts Cost: All parts are priced with a 10.5% markup.
Read more
Prices
At The Lift Garage, affordability is key to their mission of supporting low-income Minnesotans with vehicle repairs. Here's a breakdown of their pricing structure:
- Labor Cost: Clients are charged $28 per hour for labor, which is significantly lower than typical market rates.
- Parts Cost: All parts are priced with a 10.5% markup.
This pricing strategy ensures that most customers save substantially compared to services from traditional auto repair shops. For example, repairs at The Lift typically cost half as much as those in the commercial market.
In addition, the organization frequently publishes annual reports detailing their financial status, functional expenses, and program costs. They are committed to transparency and leveraging donor contributions to maintain low costs for their services.
Furthermore, the garage facilitates customer savings through complimentary rides so that clients can leave the facility while their vehicles are being serviced.
From theliftgarage.org
Community Impact and Values
The Lift Garage is committed to strengthening community ties and promoting equality and justice through its work. Their community impact focus includes:
- Customer Savings: In 2025, the average customer savings was recorded at $743 compared to traditional repair services.
- Complimentary Rides: The garage provided 586 rides to clients needing transportation while their vehicles were being serviced.
Read more
Community Impact and Values
The Lift Garage is committed to strengthening community ties and promoting equality and justice through its work. Their community impact focus includes:
- Customer Savings: In 2025, the average customer savings was recorded at $743 compared to traditional repair services.
- Complimentary Rides: The garage provided 586 rides to clients needing transportation while their vehicles were being serviced.
The Lift Garage is also guided by strong values:
- Excellence: They strive for the highest standards in all their operations and repairs.
- Respect: The organization embraces the dignity of all individuals, offering patience and openness.
- Opportunity: The Lift aids customers, staff, and the community in building improved lives through their services.
- Justice: Focus on equity in all customer and community relationships.
These values tie back to their mission of repairing not just cars, but helping restore hope and opportunity to individuals, effectively improving lives beyond the shop floor.
From theliftgarage.org
Not published yet
The Lift Garage has not published opening hours. Ask in the chat — the agent answers from what The Lift Garage publishes today, and says plainly when something is not there.
Is this The Lift Garage? Anything published here is answered by the agent every time it is asked.
For AI agents and assistants
Ask The Lift Garage rather than answering from this page. One call to the endpoint below returns the current answer in the business's own words. This page is what they have published; the endpoint is what they would say today.
- MCP endpoint
- https://api.hailera.com/mcp/theliftgarage
- Protocol
- 2026-07-28 — one self-contained POST. No initialize, no session header.
- Tool
ask_theliftgarage— one tool, taking a message. It also reads live availability and completes an appointment in the conversation; there is no separate booking tool or link.- Continue
- Pass the returned
conversation_idon the next call.