Adobe Specialists: What happened to them?

© 2024 by Roy Spears. All rights reserved.

Rudy Martinez, the owner of Adobe Specialists, was one of my biggest competitors in the adobe repair business in Tucson and the surrounding area.

In December 2020, he suddenly vanished. Calls to his number went straight to voicemail, and a month later, the line was disconnected. This was unusual, considering Martinez had a thriving business with nine or ten employees.

In the tight-knit adobe repair community I belong to, Rudy’s disappearance came as a shock. I first met Rudy around 1985 when I started my adobe repair business in Tucson. By then, he was already well-established, and we became friends. Over time, I became one of his biggest competitors.

If you need adobe repair services on your home, please call or text Adobe Masters at (520) 331-4004. If you prefer email: adobemastr@gmail.com. Website: https://adobemaster.com/

Rudy was a gifted storyteller. In the ’80s, I was often captivated by his vivid, true accounts of the challenges he faced with customers and employees. Some of those stories still make me laugh today.

I lost contact with Rudy around 1995 or 1996. Life moved on, and our lunch meetings and storytelling sessions ended. We both stayed in the adobe repair business, and I often heard about Rudy. In late 2020, I was shocked to learn from another competitor that Rudy was no longer in business. The idea of him suddenly folding his profitable enterprise and quitting seemed completely out of character.

What I’m about to share isn’t based on solid evidence, so readers shouldn’t take it as gospel. During my investigation into Rudy’s sudden disappearance, I discovered that one or two of his close family members contracted Covid, and perhaps one or both of them passed away. Rudy had a “come to Jesus” moment, realizing he wouldn’t live forever. He felt his business was keeping him from fully enjoying whatever time he had left. As a result, he decided to shut everything down.

Is this information accurate? I wouldn’t consider it definitive, as it’s based on hearsay. I’ve also heard that Rudy tried to sell his business before deciding to shut it down, but the attempt was unsuccessful, leading him to close it for good.

The only phone number I had for Rudy was his cell phone and that number was the one I repeatedly called, only to find out it was eventually disconnected; my ability to personally reach Rudy was not possible.

If the information I’ve shared is accurate, Rudy made a wise decision. I suspect his health wasn’t great, and the Covid scare might have made him realize the need for a drastic change. He likely wanted to focus on enjoying the time he has left with his wife, family, and friends, rather than being chained to a business that holds you hostage to its ever-changing whims, problems, responsibilities, and demands.

If you are a past customer of Adobe Specialists and need to have additional adobe work done on your home, or if you need your home resealed, please call or text Roy Spears with Adobe Masters: 520-331-4004. Email address: adobemastr@gmail.com. Website: https://adobemaster.com/