Ownership changed in March, with Tim and Tom Cox of Dassel purchasing the business as their fourth location. (L-R) are James Karnes, Duane Harlow, Dean Schreiner, Joe Bleninger and Ben Jager.
Farm-Rite Equipment Inc. has found an ideal spot for its newest location, just four short miles south of Long Prairie on Highway 71. Owners Tim and Tom Cox of Dassel purchased the former Long Prarie Machinery business in March of this year. They operate three other stores in Dassel, Willmar and St. Cloud. The company was established more than 40 years ago in Dassel.
"When the former owners here retired, only one employee retired with them. All the other employees stayed on after the purchase," said new general manager Dean Schreiner.
When it comes to compact equipment needs, Farm-Rite stocks inventory from trusted brands like Bobcat, Stihl, Simplicity, Midsota Manufacturing of Avon, Felling Trailers of Sauk Centre and Towmaster Trailers of Litchfield.
Farm-Rite Equipment is a full service, authorized Bobcat dealer.
"We are a full-line Bobcat dealer with excavators, track machines, mini track loaders and all attachments — for sales and service," Schreiner said.
As stated on the Farm-Rite website, employees are dedicated to giving customers red-carpet service on a daily basis, to maintain its current success as central Minnesota's largest Bobcat dealer.
Although Farm-Rite was not previously a dealer of Stihl or Simplicity, the advantages of maintaining those product lines for Long Prairie area customers was apparent.
Farm-Rite recently announced that Stihl has partnered with the American Green Zone Alliance to build awareness of the many benefits of battery-electric equipment in professional applications.
Farm-Rite has maintained the high level of service that area residents are used to at this location. The store offers service calls, pick-up and delivery. There is also service loaner equipment available when needed.
Dean Schreiner, sales specialist of Farm-Rite of Long Prairie.
"We know that you can't always get the machine into our shop. That's why we offer pick-up and delivery with the ability to winch equipment on if needed," Schreiner said. "We also offer on-site repair with fully-stocked service trucks to get your equipment up and running as quickly as possible."
It's a Farm-Rite goal to carry a large stock of filters, tires, tracks, fluids and more for all brands it carries. If for some reason a store doesn't have what a customer is looking for at a particular location, they will track it down.
"We try to keep a full inventory of parts in stock for all product lines," said Schreiner. "And having a store as close as St. Cloud, we can get parts in by the next day."
Rental service is something new that is now available in Long Prairie. For serving the whole spectrum of needs from the homeowner all the way to the large customer, the rental department will be built up to include skid-steer loaders, compact track loaders, mini track loaders, mini excavators, versahandlers and attachments.
"We plan to offer full-service rental," Schreiner said. "We want to grow in whatever ways we need to in the Long Prairie area."
Ben Jager, parts and service of Farm-Rite of Long Prairie.
The goal of Farm-Rite Equipment is to provide superior customer service for valued customers with its professional sales team, highly-skilled technicians and knowledgeable counter staff.
"It is our goal to make you a customer for life when you first call or walk in the door," is the company motto.
Long Prairie store hours are Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. to noon, Saturday. For more information, call 320/732-3715 or visit www.farmriteequip.com. The store address is 19612 US Highway 71, Long Prairie.
This story also appears on Agricultural Equipment Guide.
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