Jul. 31—LAKE PARK, Iowa. — Jaycox Implement, Inc. opened for business in 1956, and is still going strong in three area communities.
Raymond Jaycox wanted to return to the northwest Iowa family farm after serving in the Korean War. At that time, however, the farm economy was such that "you either had to get bigger or get out," explained son Chad Jaycox.
Raymond decided to get out. When an opportunity arose, he bought out a local farm implement dealer and started his own business: Jaycox Implement. In 1956, staff at the Lake Park, Iowa, store included Raymond and three employees.
Sixty-five years later, Jaycox Implement has grown beyond its flagship location, with stores in Worthington and Luverne. Between the three branches, the company now has a staff roster of nearly 90 people.
The implements themselves have grown, too. The first tractor Raymond sold in 1956 was a 450 Farmall. It had a 45-horsepower engine and cost $3,000. Today's tractors more likely come with 625 horsepower and can cost $750,000.
As soon as he was old enough, Chad was in his dad's store pushing a broom. As he grew, he learned to work on engines. Chad's dream was always to take over the business, but Raymond insisted his son get a college education and work for someone else for awhile before making up his mind.
So, Chad went to Iowa State University, where he earned a degree in industrial engineering. He had been working at Pella Windows for a couple of years when, in 1992, Raymond decided to open a second location in Worthington and asked Chad to manage it.
"Luckily I had a good team of people here," Chad recalled.
People have been the key to success for both generations of Jaycox leadership. Raymond's three original employees worked for him until retirement. Many current employees have been with Jaycox for 30 or 40 years. Staff members work well together and rely on each other.
Relationships with customers also play a critical role in the company's success. The farm implement industry is different than some, Chad said, because there isn't an endless supply of customers. In fact, the client base is actually shrinking as fewer and fewer people farm, so building relationships and providing excellent customer service are paramount.
Northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota have proven to be a profitable place for Jaycox to set up shop. The three stores are about 25 to 30 miles away from each other, so they each have a good radius for their customer base. Luverne, which opened in 2011, and Worthington are both county seats, drawing traffic to town, and Lake Park is right along Iowa 9 on the way to the Iowa Great Lakes area.