MENASHA – Coonen’s Full Service, a household owned automotive service store that has been handed via three generations which has been in Menasha since 1938 and in Kimberly for 10 years earlier than that, will quickly change homeowners.
For nearly 95 years, the mechanic store has supplied its native prospects with companies corresponding to auto restore, diagnostics, brake programs, transmission programs, oil adjustments and extra.
Prospects had been used to dropping their automobiles off and being greeted by one of many Coonens, whether or not it was Hank, who began the enterprise; Dave, who took over from his father, Hank; or Dave’s sons John and Pete, who took over after Dave retired.
Pete, who was now the only proprietor of the store, just lately made the choice to go the torch on to a brand new proprietor — somebody outdoors the Coonen household.
From father to son, the enterprise ignited a love of automobiles
Hank Coonen first opened Coonen’s Full Service in 1928 on Kimberly Avenue in Kimberly. Nearly 10 years later, the enterprise relocated to Third and De Pere in Menasha.
Earlier than the enterprise moved to its present location, 812 Plank Street, in 1976, the primary two places had been additionally full-service gasoline stations.
Pete stated the unique store opened by his grandfather was one of many first firms to work with U.S. Oil, which gives gasoline distribution options corresponding to terminal belongings, transportation logistics, provide buying and selling, wholesale gasoline options and extra. The corporate was additionally based in Kimberly in 1958.
“I feel it was ’75 when (my dad and his brother) determined to get out of the fuel enterprise,” Pete stated. “They offered all the things, they’re a part of U.S. Oil, and my uncle went on to one thing else.”
Dave Coonen went on to construct the present location and shifted the enterprise to only an automotive servicer providing all the things they did beforehand, besides promoting gasoline.
Pete, who was 12 years outdated when his father constructed Coonen’s present constructing, stated automobiles turned his ardour because of rising up round them.
“I simply cherished automobiles,” he stated. “I simply adopted in my dad’s and my brother’s footsteps, and I had another jobs in between, simply to strive various things, however each time I might get accomplished working at my different job, I used to be right here daily.”
He stated he was there a lot he figured he may as nicely simply keep, and when his brother, John, handed away in 2011, he absolutely took over the store.
Twelve years later, Pete has made the troublesome resolution to promote his enterprise and begin the subsequent chapter in his life.
“I am not going to retire as a result of I am solely 58, however I am gonna get out the enterprise and discover one thing else to do as soon as this all heals up,” Pete stated referring to the sling on his arm from his latest shoulder surgical procedure. “I will preserve working for some time.”
Who shall be taking on the household enterprise?
On March 2, the enterprise was formally transferred to its new proprietor, Mike Gilson. Pete employed Gilson at the beginning of the 12 months in order that he might get acquainted with the enterprise and prospects. His previous expertise as a racecar driver and a mechanic offers Pete confidence in his potential to take over the enterprise.
“Mike’s going to be taking on, he is 38 years outdated and I feel he’ll be an awesome match for it,” Pete stated. “I simply thought it was a very good alternative for each of us.”
Gilson stated he has large footwear to fill, however he is optimistic he shall be profitable doing so.
“With this household legacy of 95 years of being right here, it is so much to maintain going ahead,” Gilson stated. “I need to make his household proud and I need to make my household proud, to maintain that household identify and his identify going for a very long time.”
Though Gilson is the brand new proprietor of Coonen’s Full Service, the constructing is owned by another person: Kimberly Halbach, proprietor of Plank Street Pub, the bar and grill subsequent to Coonen’s.
Pete stated Halbach had been within the including the house from Coonen’s parking zone to her property for years. He informed her she would not get simply the parking, so as an alternative she provided to buy the entire property.
“It was a very, actually laborious resolution for me to make, and I talked it over with my spouse and simply, it was troublesome, and at last, we got here to an settlement,” Pete stated.
Halbach bought the property, and Gilson will lease it from her. Each events stated they don’t have any intentions of creating any beauty adjustments to the enterprise.
“There’s not gonna be hardly any change in any respect, no pricing variations, issues like that, all the things’s gonna keep the identical,” Gilson stated. “The identical companies all the time gonna be right here and I am all the time prepared to place my foot ahead to be sure that prospects all the time completely happy. That is the most important factor, as a result of in the event that they’re completely happy, I am completely happy.”
Though Gilson is formally operating the enterprise, Pete stated he’ll nonetheless be checking in, and prospects may discover him there on any given day, however he has little doubt concerning the continued success of his households legacy.
“I really imagine he shall be profitable as a result of I’ve seen him within the final couple of months,” Pete stated. “I do not see any points there in any respect.”
Attain Jelissa Burns at 920-226-4241 or [email protected]. Observe her on Twitter at @burns_jelissa or on Instagram at burns_jelissa.
