BUCYRUS,OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—A longtime business in town is marking a milestone – three generations of automotive sales and service.

Schott Brothers Sales, Inc., 811 Nevada Road, is celebrating its 80th year in business. A family-owned firm, and one of the oldest automobile dealerships in the Crawford County area.

“We try to go with more repeat business. It’s been our mainstay throughout all the years,” said Andy Schott, president. “A lot of it is just the relationships over the years that a lot of the big stores don’t have. And trust.”

Schott, 61, is a third-generation owner of the business, which boasts a large inventory of pre-owned vehicles for sale on the lot and offers a full-service body shop complete with 11 service bays.

“The bulk of our business is in the used cars. We do have full mechanical though,” said Schott. “We have a small body shop, but the main thing is probably the automotive sales with repeat business from Crawford County customers.”

Schott Brothers Sales was founded in 1945 by Schott’s grandfather, Victor Schott, and his brother, Louis. It was located on North Walnut Street for the first five years and was proud to be the area’s only Nash car dealership, Andy Schott said.

It transitioned to a franchised GMC dealership after Edward Schott, Victor’s son and Andy’s father, took over the operation. Its customer base then was primarily the large farming community, with an emphasis on new truck sales, Andy Schott said.

Today, Schott spends his days at the only workplace he has ever known. The same block building where he used to sweep floors as a kid. “I can remember my grandfather giving me my first paycheck for a dollar. I was smiling ear to ear.”

Two other longtime employees are his business partners – John Rugh, who washed cars for the founders, and Keith Bryden, who started as a teenager. And his daughter, Lindsey Schott-Jury, is works part-time in the office.

Because Schott Brothers is carrying on a family tradition. And caring for another generation of customers. Just as they have for the last 80 years.