Connecticut Custom Care, an auto body and car restoration shop in Enfield, has permanently closed after nearly 50 years in business.
The shop, located at 744 Enfield St. (Route 5), closed on Nov. 26, according to a letter sent by its owner and president, Walter Wosko III, to the state Department of Labor.
In his letter, Wosko states he was forced to close his business because “my overhead was becoming more than my income.”
He added that he laid off his five employees.
The letter was posted to the state Labor Department’s WARN Act notice portal online. Under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, employers with 100 or more full-time workers must give 60 days’ advance notice of a plant closing or mass layoff.
Employers also are affected if, during a 30-day period, they: close a facility or discontinue an operating unit and 50 or more full-time workers suffer an employment loss.
In this case, the closing of Connecticut Custom Car does not meet the notification requirements for the federal law because of the small number of workers affected.
According to its website, Connecticut Custom Car was opened in 1976 by Walt Wosko II and his wife, Dianne, and focused on painting vehicles. In 1979, the shop expanded to collision repair.
Walt Wosko III joined the shop in 1990.
While the business has closed, the building at 744 Enfield St. is owned by The 740 House LLC, a business entity based in Somers and owned by Thomas Wosko.
The 4,080-square-foot, one-story brick building, erected in 1922, shares a 0.6-acre lot with a second building, a 5,600-square-foot, 2.75-story building that currently is home to Nick’s Barber Shop.
Together, the combined property and buildings are appraised at just under $400,000, according to town land records.
