By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
There was plenty of green and orange to go around on Thursday when Ag-Pro held a grand opening and ribbon cutting at its new location.
Ag-Pro, the local John Deere (green) and Stihl (orange) dealership, treated hundreds of existing and new customers to free food, sales and plenty of giveaways during the open house that introduced the community to the new location.
The contemporary-looking building at 12982 Kramer Road, Bowling Green, sits across Dixie Highway within the sightline of the previous pole-type facility, which originally was Wood County Farm Equipment.
“We hosted the event to showcase the store’s investment in the community and to connect with local farmers,” said Ross Mangas, general manager of the Bowling Green store and service center.
The new, larger facility provides improved service capabilities and customer experience. “We’re excited to be here where there is more showroom space and an improved service area,” he said.
The showroom includes the parts counter and shelves filled with the traditional green John Deere toy tractors, combines and trucks and other John Deere merchandise such as clocks and cups. A selection of mowers and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) are displayed inside, while combines, tractors and other larger equipment can be seen outside.
The store also carries a comprehensive line of Stihl brand equipment for mowing, landscaping, cleaning, sawing and cutting. The equipment that is aligned with John Deere, is available for commercial and residential uses, Mangas said.
They carry hedge trimmers, string trimmers, chainsaws, concrete saws, leaf blowers, and pressure washers.
“Being this close to a little bit bigger city with commercial-grade landscapers all the way down to homeowners, Stihl offers a complete line from top to bottom,” he added. “We do offer traditional gas-powered options, but there is an increased focus on battery-powered equipment.”
There are 18 employees at the Bowling Green location, with seven individuals dedicated to the service area. While they service the John Deere and Stihl equipment lines that they carry, their expanded service capabilities can also handle a wider range of equipment.
Ag-Pro Companies, the largest privately owned John Deere dealership in the U.S., has 83 locations across seven states, including Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. In Ohio, the Bowling Green location is one of 34 across the state.
Store hours throughout the year are weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon; however, during the busy planting season, for convenience to the farmers, Ag-Pro extends their hours until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
“We do our best to serve you,” Mangas said to farmers and homeowners. “Come out anytime if there is anything you need from Ag-Pro.”
