Sunday, September 21, 2008 — Oakboro Ag, Power & Turf Equipment, Inc. was recently featured in the summer edition of Yard & Garden.
“We were chosen by the publisher from Wisconsin, who said we had been nominated by several of the manufacturers that we support in our store,” said Joel Thomas, owner.
A crew of reporters and photographers flew from Wisconsin in May and spent the weekend at the store, at 1160 N. Main St. in Oakboro.
“It was Memorial Day weekend and we were very busy. For a lot of the weekend, they walked around taking pictures because we didn’t have time to talk. It wasn’t until we closed on Saturday before we could sit down for an interview,” Thomas said.
Thomas said the crew was surprised and amazed at the business Oakboro Ag, Power & Turf could get in a little town.
The store pulls from a 9-county area with a 15,000-buyer customer base. The counties include Stanly, Anson, Montgomery, Union, Richmond, Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Iredell and Rowan.
As a result of the article, Thomas received several letters of congratulations from presidents of the various manufacturing companies.
“It is a humbling experience. Especially when the crew said they had been in similar stores all across the U.S., but ours was the nicest they’d seen,” Thomas said.
Thomas founded Oakboro Ag, Power & Turf in 1992 when he decided to sell several of the used farm equipment that he owned. He originally rented a lot down the road from the store’s present location, which they moved to in 1996.
Thomas believes the 16 years he has been in business is a result of the customer service his employees provide.
“I am blessed to have the staff that we have here because they have made the difference with the level of service they try to give,” Thomas said.
There are currently 10 full-time employees on staff and five part-time.
There is not only a sales department, which is responsible for helping customers purchase the various kinds of merchandise like lawn mowers, tractors, back hoes, chain saws, weed eaters and many more items, but there is also a service and repair department.
“We have something for anybody with pretty much everything you would need for your lawn, garden or farm,” Thomas said.
Thomas also said the store can order special parts and they service most brands of outdoor power equipment, including brands they sell and others.
They will even deliver tractors on Christmas Day.
The store also offers educational seminars and classes in March and November. Thomas said the shop area is turned into classrooms while part of the sales floor houses a buffet. There are also representatives from the various manufacturers that set up booths and hold demonstrations.
This is an event the store has been hosting for nearly six years, and the next education seminar will be held Nov. 20-22.
The seminars are held during the hours of operation, which are Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and by appointment any day but Sundays.
Contact Tiffany Thompson at (704) 982-2121 ext. 24 or snaponline24@carolina.rr.com.
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