Is Avery Auto Salvage Still In Business?

Netflix definitely found themselves with a seriously huge hit on their hands when they started exclusively streaming Making A Murderer, a 10 part documentary series focusing on a fascinating criminal case out of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin that many had never even heard of. The series has become insanely popular all over the galaxy, and it has left many people scrambling to know more. Since the explosion of attention that has no doubt been thrust upon the entire Avery family since the documentary first aired, many are wondering: Is Avery's Auto Salvage still in business today?

According to the yellow pages and an interview in the New York Post with Steven's brother Chuck Avery, Avery's Auto Salvage is definitely still very much in business at the moment and is being run by the same set of Averys that we all got to know during the film. If you're assuming that it has become some kind of morbid tourist attraction in the weeks following the Dec. 18 premiere of the documentary ... you would be somewhat correct.

According to Chuck Avery, there has definitely been an influx of people that drive into the salvage yard just to take a peek, but it also hasn't been too much of a change, either. As more and more evidence and speculation about Steven's murder conviction get debated in various public forums, I expect that the number of curious visitors to Avery's Auto Salvage will grow and grow.

The family seems to be taking it in stride at the moment. Steven's brother Chuck told the New York Post that at the moment it isn't really a problem, but he is "kind of wary" about the possibility of the voyeuristic visitors ramping up in frequency.

Because some people have become quickly convinced of Steven's innocence, there has been some backlash against local businesses as well as the law enforcement of the small town in Wisconsin. An article in the Post Crescent states that since the film's debut, the Manitowoc sheriff's department has received between 250-300 phone calls and a slew of emails both positive and negative. They go on to say that the negative responses unfortunately outweigh the positive ones. The Manitowoc police department denies any wrongdoing when it comes to Steven Avery's case, and they are not under investigation for any crime.

Another unfortunate side effect of Netflix infamy is being felt by organizations in Manitowoc that didn't even have roles in the series or the case itself. According to the same Post Crescent article, the Historical Society in town has seen its rating on its own Facebook page take a nose dive because people are simply leaving scathing comments relating to the case.

This case has captured the nation's attention and it doesn't seem like the fever will be breaking anytime soon. Hopefully the Averys that run their family auto salvage yard can go on making a living in peace and running their business without too much inundation from voyeuristic viewers. Time will tell if the town's grief as a result of the film will spill onto their property.

Images: Netflix(3)