In 1988, forty years after the shop was opened by General Electric, George W. Rapp and a group of investors purchased the East Indianola Avenue business. In Rapp’s judgement, Youngstown Service Shop’s ability to thrive in intervening years is the result of the commitment made by the customers and employees who joined YSS from GE. “They demonstrated personal faith,” he points out.

Nine employees, including Rapp, made the shift in 1988. Today, YSS employs fifteen and serves customers not only the Youngstown / Warren area, but in Southeast Ohio, Cleveland / Akron / Canton, Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia.