March 28, 2024
Business | The Times


Business

Schimmer Automotive hosts 75-year celebration

'You’re not here for 75 years if you don’t have great clients'

The Schimmer Automotive Family will celebrate 75 years of serving Mendota and the Illinois Valley on Saturday. The Schimmer family started operating in 1945 in Mendota and has since expanded to three other locations, including dealerships in Peru and Spring Valley.

Schimmer has donated to community organizations through sponsoring little league teams to working with the local VFW, among other actions.

With the company having been a part of the local community for so many years, General Manager of Schimmer General Motors and Schimmer Mendota Ford Nick Organ said their relationship with their customers is what has kept them around for so long.

“We really always try and go that extra mile for our customers,” Organ said. “Being honest and going that extra mile is pretty important to us and myself and a lot of our team have gained lifelong friendships with some of our customers. Our customers aren’t just clients to us, a lot of them are friends.”

The celebration is scheduled Saturday, Sept. 26, at Schimmer General Motors, 1501 S. 13th St., Mendota. The festivities will include a free lunch from El Zarape of Mendota from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Main Street Station of Mendota also will be serving appetizers, beer and wine from 4 to 6 p.m.

Aside from food, Schimmer will be giving away items, such as hats, koozies and T-shirts to the public.

Organ said the celebration is more about the community they have been able to serve all these years.

“We always try to keep it local because you’re not here for 75 years if you don’t have great clients that have been repeat customers for a long time and that’s what our success has been,” Organ said.

The event will mostly take place outside and in their new medium-duty truck building as they encourage attendees to practice social distancing during the event.