EARL's repair shop/dosdall implement
Red Wing, Minnesota
Years of Operation: 1949 - 2019
Years of Operation: 1949 - 2019
In 1948, Earl Dosdall decided to sell the farm keeping only a few acres. On that remaining piece of land, Earl built a new repair shop. In 1949, the business opened and was named Earl's Repair Shop. The following year, he added the Oliver farm equipment line becoming the Oliver dealer for this area. In addition to Oliver, some short line brands of equipment included Papec, Farmhand, Owatonna Mfg. and Minnesota. Business started booming for Earl and it seems he was always taking his new 1951 Chevrolet cab-over truck to Charles City to pickup new tractors.
The Oliver Branch House and parts warehouse for the area was located on Como Avenue in Minneapolis, which was about an hour’s drive from the dealership. Countless numbers of trips to Como Avenue were made over the years. On one trip to Oliver in Minneapolis, Earl saw they had a White TREND truck sitting there which had been at some show. He asked about it and thought that it was too much money. A couple of months passed and many more trips to Como Avenue went by until the manager approached Earl and said, “I’m going to sell you that truck today.” The manager offered him a price that he couldn't believe, so in 1969, Earl had a new White TREND truck! When purchased, it was a bare cab-over truck, so Earl had to buy a bed for it. He chose a bed from Mid Equipment in Grundy Center, Iowa. It was a heavy duty rollback with a 40-ton winch. The bed ended up costing more than the truck! Now this truck got its turn to make the journeys to Charles City to haul tractors back to the dealership.
The Oliver Branch House and parts warehouse for the area was located on Como Avenue in Minneapolis, which was about an hour’s drive from the dealership. Countless numbers of trips to Como Avenue were made over the years. On one trip to Oliver in Minneapolis, Earl saw they had a White TREND truck sitting there which had been at some show. He asked about it and thought that it was too much money. A couple of months passed and many more trips to Como Avenue went by until the manager approached Earl and said, “I’m going to sell you that truck today.” The manager offered him a price that he couldn't believe, so in 1969, Earl had a new White TREND truck! When purchased, it was a bare cab-over truck, so Earl had to buy a bed for it. He chose a bed from Mid Equipment in Grundy Center, Iowa. It was a heavy duty rollback with a 40-ton winch. The bed ended up costing more than the truck! Now this truck got its turn to make the journeys to Charles City to haul tractors back to the dealership.
The White TREND truck on what is believed to be it's first delivery. Earl Dosdall, left, delivers a new Oliver tractor to a customer.
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The White TREND truck still earning it's keep hauling Oliver tractors many years later.
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Earl, left, and son Rich, right, are photographed in front of a new Oliver combine outside the dealership.
Earl's Repair Shop was a family operation since their home was attached to the shop! Earl along with his son's Bob and Rich, operated the dealership and took pride in servicing and fixing equipment. In the mid 1960's, Earl expanded the operation when he purchased the Oliver dealership in Oak Center, Minnesota and operated a second location there for a period of time.
In 1979, Earl's son Bob purchased the business and changed the name to Dosdall Implement. Earl remained active in the family dealership until his passing in 1990. The operation continued focusing primarily on service and repairs until it officially closed at the end of 2019. The former dealership building still remains today along with many Oliver tractors in the surrounding area that were sold by the Dosdall's over the years! Special thanks to Richard Dosdall for providing many of the photos and information for this article.
Excepts adapted from Richard Dosdall's autobiography at: https://craftsmanshipmuseum.com/artisan/richard-dosdall/
In 1979, Earl's son Bob purchased the business and changed the name to Dosdall Implement. Earl remained active in the family dealership until his passing in 1990. The operation continued focusing primarily on service and repairs until it officially closed at the end of 2019. The former dealership building still remains today along with many Oliver tractors in the surrounding area that were sold by the Dosdall's over the years! Special thanks to Richard Dosdall for providing many of the photos and information for this article.
Excepts adapted from Richard Dosdall's autobiography at: https://craftsmanshipmuseum.com/artisan/richard-dosdall/
Dealership Photos
An early photo of Earl's Repair Shop. Notice the plastic lighted Oliver Sales-Service Shield hanging in the front window. This photo shows the original shop before the addition was added on to the right side of the dealership. Photo Credit: Alice Ohme
From the early 1960's, the 1951 Chevrolet truck is parked in front of Earl's Repair Shop. It was loaded up a new Oliver 660 and Oliver 550 which had just been picked up at the Oliver plant in Charles City.
Another view of the Oliver dealership around 1970.
The original Oliver dealership sign that is shown hanging on the building in later pictures. Photo Credit: Justin Meyer
A new Oliver 550 outside of Earl's Repair Shop was the perfect toy for these boys!
Another tractor loaded up on the dealership's 1951 Chevrolet truck. As you can see, the exhaust pipe is turned to the side for clearance during transport.
A new Oliver 770 with a umbrella installed is hooked up to an Oliver combine ready to go to work!
The dealership pickup hooked up to a new Oliver manure spreader.
A new Oliver 1800 tractor ready for delivery to a customer.
Dosdall Implement in 2014 still had some Oliver tractors parked outside the building. Photo Credit: Google Maps