Welcome to Kenmare

Feature Stories (Vol. 109 No. 26--6/27/2007)

Ronnies Inc Auto & RV takes over Schock Auto dealership

By Caroline Downs

Ron Heisler has a great sense of timing.

The Minot businessman, who sold his Realistic Autos dealership in March, was looking for a new location to launch another enterprise. Dennis Schock, of Schock Auto Sales in Kenmare, was planning to lock the door to his business in October if he didn’t sell it first.

"He got wind I was thinking of quitting," Schock said. "He couldn’t have walked in at a better time."

Heisler had considered Mohall and Stanley as possible sites for his new business, and even looked at a building on the square in Kenmare for his operation, before he approached Schock. The two agreed on a price, and as of June 1st, Ronnies Inc. Auto & RV opened at the former Schock Auto Sales building and lot.

The real transition took place June 18th, however, when Heisler started moving in his office furniture and inventory. He made a few remodeling changes, including some fresh paint and a new floor drain in the shop, and welcomed customers. In fact, last week while working to organize his new site, he sold cars to customers from Kenmare, Mohall and Crosby.

"I’ve been in the car business for 18 years," Heisler said, adding that he had several return customers from the northwest corner of the state during his days at Realistic Autos. "I like to cater to the type of person who likes the nice, pre-owned car."

Despite making his home in Minot with his wife Vickie, who will handle the title work and paperwork for Ronnies, Heisler enjoys life in small communities. He grew up on a farm near Esmond, off Highway 3. His son Mitch opened an auto dealership in Mohall last year, and Heisler and his wife have been spending time at the Mouse River Park cabin they purchased in March 2006.

In fact, he credits Mouse River Park with his renewed interest in opening a local business. "That really got me back into a small community," he said, mentioning friends he’d made from across the state as well as from Canada. "Everybody’s on a first name basis down there."

He talked about the way neighbors at the Park simply volunteered their labor, time and equipment to help each other with projects, large and small. The genuine friendliness and concern for each other made an impression on him, especially as he saw those attributes carried over into the communities surrounding the Park.

"I like the small town atmosphere," he said. "People have already stopped and said welcome to Kenmare. They’re glad [the business] didn’t close."

Ronnies Inc. Auto & RV is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, although Heisler admitted he would likely be around earlier and stay later most days. He will also meet customers on Saturdays by appointment, and can be reached at 701-385-4322 or 701-720-6713.

Schock will continue to dabble in the auto business, working one or two days each week for Heisler. "The first bad deal I make, I’ll be out the door!" he joked.

People in the market for a vehicle will notice a variety of inventory at Ronnies, with about 40 units on the lot now from sources in Fargo, Billings, MT, and South Dakota. "I brought in some Chevy pickups and some other SUVs," Heisler said. "And I’ll still do consignments like Dennis did. It’ll take a little bit to see what the area wants."

Most of his RV sales take place in the fall, winter and spring. "I try to bring in two- to three-year-old models," he said.

He transports his own vehicles and handles the washing and detail work before making a sale. "We do it all here, front to back," he said. "We handle the paperwork. Local banks do the financing. It’s less time consuming than a big dealership."

Schock hasn’t given
much thought to retirement
Schock was pleased with the sale and the fact an auto dealership would continue in Kenmare. "I’ve had a lot of people say, ‘Hey, we’re glad you sold it and didn’t close,’" he said. "I’m happy I could sell and retain a business in town."

He hasn’t settled into a retirement routine yet, though, with moving out his own furnishings and vehicles and helping Heisler move in equipment and stock. "The reality hasn’t hit yet," he said. "I haven’t had too much time to think about it."

A phone call from his grandchildren in Boise, Idaho, last week did nudge him to start planning a trip to visit the three- and four-year-olds this summer with his wife Elaine. "This is the time when you want to enjoy them," he said. "Beyond that, I have no plans."

The couple does intend to stay in Kenmare, however, which has been their home essentially since October 1959 when Schock started at J.C. Penney under manager Irvin Purdy.

The Schocks transferred to Williston for a year and then lived in Minot four years while Dennis worked for Sears. The couple returned to Kenmare when Schock was hired to manage Kenmare Furniture. Five years later, the couple bought it and operated it for the next 11 years before closing in 1983.

Schock leased the Vet’s Club on Highway 52 for the next 16 months before starting a new venture in automobiles with Harris Motors until they closed in October 1988. "I started Schock Auto in February 1989 and moved to this location in 1992," he said from a customer’s seat in his former office. "I’ve been in retail sales all my life. That’s the thing I’m gonna miss, the public and the people."

He spoke of experiences with the Association of Commerce and the Jaycees organization in town. "I’ve been a part of the community for a lot of years," he said. "This used to be the place to come and shop. It’s surprising the amount of changes you see over the years, and here’s a new business springing up!"

Nice place to buy a car
Heisler is looking forward to doing business with more residents from Kenmare and the surrounding area. He intends to keep the process of purchasing a vehicle simple for the customer.

"This is on a one-to-one basis," he said. "Here, the owner is selling. You can buy a car with a handshake. You can write a check for it. Everything is so easy."

He’s hoping to offer his clients at Ronnies Inc Auto & RV the same purchasing experience he offered in his Minot business. "‘It’s so nice to buy a car here,’" he said. "I’ve always heard that from my customers."