Ex press Hopewell
communitynews.org
May 2026 FREE
A love of autos drives new HoVal venture Interview by Joe Emanski “From the time I was a kid, I’ve had a deep passion for cars. I can still remember being five years old, sitting outside my house, pointing at passing cars and calling out the make and model. That fascination never left me,” says James Higgins, owner-operator of an unusual new business in Hopewell Valley — Auto Advisor: Your Personal Automotive Shopper. Hire the people behind the Auto Advisor, and they’ll help you buy a vehicle. As in help you find it, help you negotiate for it, help you take it home. Don’t enjoy car shopping? That’s OK. Higgins loves it. Higgins also just loves automobiles. He owns seven himself, including a Mercedes-Benz, a former Police Interceptor, and a restored pickup. “Whether it is visiting car dealerships, walking through car museums, or just studying the details of every vehicle, I am drawn to anything with four wheels and an engine,” he says. “I genuinely love the experience and the story behind every car.” Higgins, 58, has lived in Hopewell Borough for more than 10 years. He is the youngest of eight children and has lived in New Jersey for most
of his life, attending Columbia High School in Maplewood and graduating from Seton Hall University. He has also spent time in Manhattan, upstate New York, and New Hampshire. He has two children: Scott, a graduate of Peddie and George Washington University; and Brooke, who graduated from Hopewell Valley High School, attended Mercer County Community College, and now works with her dad at Auto Advisor. Auto Advisor officially launched as a business in 2025, but Higgins says he’s been helping friends and family buy cars for more than 30 years. The Hopewell Express interviewed Higgins about the journey that led him to where he is now, making a living helping people buy automobiles. The interview has been lightly edited for clarity. Hopewell Express: How did you come up with the idea for the business? James Higgins: This business is really an extension of a lifelong passion. I’ve owned over 100 cars in my life so far, from a 1968 Volkswagen Baja Bug to a ’67 Chevy to a Ford Maverick to a 1988 Porsche 911. Buying cars and getting great deals is sport for me. I’ve spent decades See CARS, Page 9
Chase Garrow is a key player for Hopewell Valley baseball on the mound and, especially, at the plate. (Photos by Mike Schwartz/mssphoto.com.)
Garrow’s offseason work sparks breakout season for HoVal By Rich Fisher Chase Garrow hit .405 as a junior for the Hopewell Valley Central High baseball team, but wasn’t satisfied. Just what does that mean? “It’s the difference between the desire to be good and the desire be great,” Bulldogs coach Chris Skolka said. “He wants to be great. He has high expectations for himself, high
expectations for the team and he knows what he has to do to meet those expectations. A lot of that goes to his dedication in the off-season and continuing that work during the season.” An abstract example of that improvement can be demonstrated by Garrow’s Apr. 20 effort against Montgomery. He went 2-for-4. . . .and his batting average dropped. Yet the average remained
astronomical, as Garrow was hitting .590 with a team-high 17 RBI through Hopewell’s 6-5 start. The senior shortstop hit safely in all 11 games; and had seven multi-hit games; including five three-hit efforts. Three triples, a double and home run placed his slugging percentage at .974 and his OPS at 1.593. There is no secret to his success: good old fashion hard See GARROW, Page 11
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