Schmidt & Sons, Inc. is holding “Customer Appreciation Days” on April 21 – 23 to commemorate their 50th year in the Agriculture Business. The celebration begins at their Winfield location on Thursday the 21st with parts specials, door prizes and a BBQ lunch.
After Thursday, festivities will move to the Mt. Hope Branch. Friday offers an Agronomy Update, BBQ Lunch, Presentation by KWCH Meteorologist Ross Janssen, and an Antique Equipment Display. Also, 50 Door Prizes will be given away to Celebrate their 50 years.
Saturday is geared toward families and includes Kids Farm Safety Presentation, Ride and Drive Test Area, Door Prizes and Antique Equipment Display. Hot Dogs, Popcorn and Cookies will be provided throughout the day.
Although Schmidt & Sons officially opened their doors in 1966 the company can trace its roots back to 1936 when John Schmidt opened a general repair shop in the town of Mt. Hope. In 1948 that shop became Schmidt Motor Co selling new vehicles and appliances. John operated this business until 1952 and was considered an invaluable part of the community. So much so that the local community members lobbied the US Government to keep him out of the WWII draft.
John continued to operate Schmidt Motor Co. until 1952 when he shifted his focus to farming. Selling the shop, he moved outside of the city limits and started the family farm which he ran until he opened John Schmidt and Son’s in 1966 with his two sons John and Leroy.
Upon opening, Schmidt & Sons specialized in new Allis Chalmers equipment but over the years has expanded to carry AGCO, Challenger, Massey Ferguson, Gleaner, Versatile, Kubota, Sunflower, Hesston Hay Equipment, White Planters, Great Plains, CrustBuster, and Land Pride products. They also expanded from only selling new equipment to buying and selling used equipment and are known for having one of the largest parts departments in the Midwest.
The company has also grown from a father and two son operation into a two store operation with over 40 employees. In 2007 John Schmidt & Sons, Inc. acquired a second dealership in Winfield, KS, selling the same equipment, parts and service that they had at the Mt. Hope location. One item that has not changed since the beginning is the commitment to family and community which is evident in the number of long term employees. Over 75% of the staff has been with Schmidt & Son’s over five years; not including family members, two of the staff has been on board for over 15-years with one recently celebrating their 30th year.
The Schmidt & Sons family invites all past, current and future customers to attend their celebrations activities. Don’t miss this event!
For a complete schedule of events visit www.schmidtinc.com or see page 48 of this week’s Rural Messenger.
