A 30,000-square foot store is currently under construction at the John Deere farm equipment dealership on Hwy. 23 just outside the Pipestone city limits.
The project is overseen by store manager Doug Hagen, who arrived about six weeks ago from La Crosse, Wis. with a background in the equipment business.
“It’s very exciting,” Hagen said. “The market’s here, we feel; it’s a good location with three major highways in Pipestone that bring in a lot of business.”
The existing site consists of a parts and sales trailer with some cold storage space. The new dealership will hold parts, service and sales of equipment, as well as a large retail component that includes lawn and garden, sports equipment, power tools, clothing and other merchandise.
The $3 million project included the purchase of 15 acres behind the John Deere store that burned down three years ago. The concrete footprint that remains of the building from that fire didn’t meet the current owners’ frontage needs.
“We set the building back from that for good traffic flow and for good equipment and lawn displays in front,” Hagen said.
C&B Operations, LLC purchased the business in November 2008. The privately-held business headquartered in Gettysburg, S.D. owns and operates 16 John Deere farm equipment dealerships in five states along with a diesel engine pump repair business.
Matt Cronin, president of C&B, said C&B’s long-term commitment to the Pipestone area expressed by the size of the new store does not mean the Edgerton and Luverne Deere dealerships, will close.
“We do plan to keep the Edgerton and Luverne dealerships open,” Cronin said. “They are both well-run locations in great communities that we hope to continue to grow our presence in.”
The Pipestone County store is expected to open for business in summer of 2010. Hagen said he’s interviewing currently for the additional employees the location will require.
“When we get in full operation, it will be 18 fulltime positions,” Hagen said. Of those, at least nine will be new positions, Hagen said.
“Our goal is to be the best of the best not only with our products, but with services and parts,” Hagen said. “We have a lot of expectations with this new building.”
