THE SAMO HISTORY

Samo Wheel & Brake Service was established by Mas Okumura, a U.S. Army retiree and mechanical wonder, who had spent many years working under local automotive shop owners in Downtown L.A., where he eventually trained under Bagge & Sons. They would eventually move out of the Downtown area to Culver City, and it was at this time that “Pop” Bagge told Mas he was ready to break off and start his own auto shop. Mas would be drawn to the Santa Monica area and rooted his first shop on 10th Street near Pico Boulevard.

It wasn’t long until Mas realized he needed a larger shop, and found just that off 14th Street where he opened Mas Okumura Brakes, Tune-Up, & Repair, maintaining his speciality in wheel alignment and brakes. Incidentally, this move also happened just as ground was being broken for a new Interstate Highway which would eventually become known as the Santa Monica Freeway. Within the next few years, Mas would have to move his shop once again… only for good this time!

He found a modest strip of property on Pico Boulevard,  just down from the 14th Street shop. This shop would not only become his final location, but the location whereby his legacy would be embedded in Santa Monica history as Samo Wheel and Brake Service.

From 1959, Mas worked diligently as a business owner at the Pico location, providing strong automotive service specializing in front end alignments and brake services. The business afforded him the ability to proudly raise his family locally, and his youngest son Howard would eventually become his protege soon after he graduated from University of Southern California in 1980.

In May of 1982, and much like his own journey, Mas told Howard it was time for him to take the reins. Howard would purchase the business from Mas, and continue its legacy in Santa Monica as being a prominent automotive shop serving local residents as well as developing relations with local auto businesses requiring front end alignment and brake services.