Journey to owning her own shop was anything but conventional

Hanna Cooper is used to being underestimated as a mechanic. The 31-year-old businesswoman opened MX Automotive in April, and she still gets asked, “Where’s the man in charge?”

“Sometimes it’s a little hard, but I love that I probably know more than most of the men who are questioning me,” Copper said, “I think I get more respect in the end when they realize that I do know what I’m talking about,”

At her shop, located at the corner of Highway 60 and California Street, she provides engine repair, general maintenance, tire installation, interlock installations and engine replacements. She also offers u-hauls for rent and hosts food trucks on her lot over the weekends.

Her journey to opening her own auto mechanic shop has been anything but conventional. After just a couple of weeks attending Socorro High School, she dropped out and faced challenges with addiction. Her shop name, MX, represents Roman numerals inspired by her sobriety journey and the birth of her son.

“I got my GED and went to college for a little while and then I was in the streets on drugs for like, 10 years. So Jess (Landers) actually gave me the job while I was still in drug court,” Cooper said, “At first he told me ‘no’ and then two weeks later he called me.”

After Jess Landers’s passing, many of his employees inherited his properties, including Cooper, who was given the shop. As she prepared to open her own shop, she felt anxious about how the community would react. However, on opening day, she was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming support. She said people have made comments about how she gives them hope with their own kids who are battling addiction.

“People bring me flowers and stuff, and there’s a lot of support, especially from women and from the tech students,” Cooper said.

She emphasized the importance of taking the time to explain issues to her customers thoroughly. She noted that since a significant portion of her clientele consists of women and students, they often appreciate clear and detailed explanations to help them better understand their cars’ issues.

“I try to be very upfront, very transparent and really honest.” Cooper said.

One of the most rewarding aspects of owning the shop for Cooper is the atmosphere cultivated among her employees. Working together, they create a sense of camaraderie that makes every day enjoyable.

“It’s not a typical job, I guess, we all come in and we make bets. We hear a noise (from a vehicle). And I’m like, I bet you the cylinder threes out, and they’re like, I bet this, I bet that.” Copper said, “We work together really well.”

In the future, she hopes to start offering alignments and get some upgrades that would allow her to do programming for newer vehicles.

She also plans to host workshops on the basics, such as jump starting, putting air in tires and other tasks that could help people feel more independent.

“The world’s not the place it used to be. I mean, wasn’t there a state police officer that stopped to help somebody with their tire and got shot six times?” Cooper said, “We should be able to take care of ourselves on the side of the road.”

Cooper hasn’t quite come to view herself as a role model for women aspiring to enter the field of mechanics or as a recovered addict. But, she does hold a desire to help others and aims to empower individuals, instilling confidence in them so they can handle any vehicle-related situation with assurance and competence.