SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Cody Thurber grew up in Springfield and is a 2019 graduate of Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, Vt. After graduating, he moved to Jacksonville, Fla., where he lived for six years and attended Jacksonville University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, graduating in 2023. Meanwhile, an internship with State Farm gave him experience working with auto policies and insurance. He was also employed by Enterprise Rental Car, guiding clients in the rental process, and then in a client-facing role with a California-based travel agency, which provided him with extensive customer service experience.
He returned to Springfield in July of 2025 and began work for his father, Burton Thurber, owner of Auto Connection, located on River Street in Springfield, Vt. During his employment there, he was immersed in the auto sales business, gaining knowledge and experience in the auto industry and performing work primarily detailing cars and preparing them for resale.
Thurber shared that he has always had an entrepreneurial vision, and, when he saw that the building located at 95 Charlestown Road in Springfield, Vt., was available, he decided to set his plan in motion. He purchased the building in June, and worked on interior and exterior improvements including cleaning up the land to increase visibility from the road, making repairs to the perimeter drain, painting the interior of the building, and adding signage prior to opening his new shop, Black River Auto.
Thurber explained, “Black River Auto…was started with a simple goal: That we really wanted to provide honest, dependable automotive repair that [customers] in a community, such as Springfield and the…surrounding area can trust.” He saw that there was a need for auto detailers and mechanics in the area, and with the location close to Interstate 91, he said that he hopes to provide quality assistance to travelers passing through the area who find themselves in need of service, as well as locals.
Thurber plans to manage the shop and provide quality customer service himself, and he has a full-time mechanic on staff with 25 years of experience. Black River Auto’s hours of operation are Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Saturday by appointment only for auto detailing.