2022.11.23 "Extra" Pic

Puzzle: https://jigex.com/jfJz9

KCM. Hope all is well with you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family like always. Wingnut

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Dealership building? I remember a dealer operating out of a much smaller facility than this one!

(quoted from post at 04:40:58 11/23/22) Dealership building? I remember a dealer operating out of a much smaller facility than this one!

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Bob, did you ever get over to RN Johnson in Walpole NH? They operated out of a small old building like that. They were John Deere's oldest dealer in the world. That distinction ended around twenty years ago when representatives from John Deere arrived at the Walpole business and ended their 84-year-old relationship.

Because the sale of the machines represents half of R.N. Johnson's revenue, the company laid off six of its 20 employees, owner Alan Johnson said.

"Those were families that relied on us not only for their income but for their health care," Johnson said. "First layoff in our 84-year history. That's harder on me than losing John Deere."

John Deere employees removed its machines off the property on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"That field was full of John Deere equipment," said Johnson, motioning toward a field with one John Deere machine sitting in it Wednesday afternoon.

The employees who lost their jobs were in clerical and sales positions, Johnson said. None of the seven mechanics in the shop lost their jobs. The focus of R.N. Johnson's right now is to continue to service the tractors it has sold.

"We are going to stay in business. We are going to continue to service the many people who bought John Deere products over the years," Johnson said.

Alan Johnson is the third generation in his family to run the business, which was started by his grandfather Ralph Nathan "Jack" Johnson in 1929. He declined to take on the huge debt of putting up a huge new building that John Deere required.

R.N.Johnson used to do a lot of crawler work.They stocked a huge anount of crawler parts,and a lot of engine parts
for the 1010-2010.They were about 90 miles from me,but I would run up there for some stuff they had in stock.It was
going to take a while to get a sleeve-deck assembly for a 1010 here in town,but Johnson had one in stock.Jumped in
the Rabbit diesel and took a ride.They cost about $235.at the time,and the parts guy said,how about 2 for $400.? I
don't know if he meant it as a joke,but I said sure,and he brought out a second one.I have one in my little dozer
and the other is still under the bench,greased and wrapped.I don't remember if they were still milking there or not
the last time I was up there,but that piece of property is really too valuable for most folks to be selling tractors
or milking cows on.

Same thing happened to local Case dealer around here in the late 60s. He even
started to build a big new building but then Case wanted him to also carry a huge
inventory of tractors and equipment. He realized there just wasn't enough farms in
the area to support it. Dropped the Case dealership and kept his repair and
construction business going. I worked for a while in the mid 70s.