THILL IMPLEMENT CO.
Rose Creek, Minnesota
Years of Operation: 1938 - 1981
Years of Operation: 1938 - 1981
John Thill, Sr. founded Thill Implement in 1938. Over time and with the help of the next generation, Thill Implement grew to become the largest Oliver dealer in Minnesota during its time! John started as a one man operation in the "open air" under a tree! The following year, he bought his first building for the dealership. In the early days, Thill was a dealer for Oliver and Minneapolis-Moline. In a newspaper interview with John's son, Jack said his dad wanted a MM corn sheller so bad, but couldn't afford it. So he signed a contract to sell MM equipment and got one that way. He did the same to get an Oliver plow! These brands were a natural choice as both tractor lines were manufactured within 120 miles of the business. In the 1940's, John Thill's sons' Robert and John Jr. "Jack" joined the business. By 1961, John Sr. was ready to retire. Three years later, Jack Thill bought out his brother Robert and became the sole owner of Thill Implement. Eventually, this Oliver dealership outgrew their first location and Jack wanted to keep it growing. So in the spring of 1968, a new dealership site and building was erected. Luckily, Thill was also a dealer and builder of grain bins and steel buildings, so they were able to build their own new facility. The new dealership featured a 20,000 square foot building with 4,200 square feet of parts and the same amount of space for showroom/office. It was considered the best facility of any Oliver dealership in the country when it was built. This large dealership took a lot of people to keep it running. In 1969, Thill had 22 employees - 4 bookkeepers, 4 salesmen, 4 set-up men, 3 mechanics, 2 partsmen, 2 construction workers, a delivery man, and a paint man! By the late 1970's, Thill Implement was a dealer for White Farm Equipment, Massey-Ferguson, New Idea, Kewanee, Lindsay, Wilrich, Melroe, and Gehl. A norm in the implement business today, Thill purchased their own 42 foot trailer and semi in 1977 for deliveries and to pick-up new equipment from the factories.
Unfortunately, the farm economy of the 1980's hit Thill Implement hard. Being a large dealer, they had too much inventory for the high interest rates and poor farm economy of the time. John, Jr. "Jack" Thill said in a newspaper article, "I had 23 new combines sitting right out there (in front of the dealership). They sold for $100,000 a piece in those days, but with 25% interest, who could afford them? Better yet, who could borrow the money to buy them? I got stuck with them and there was nothing anybody could do to save us. I was one of the first implement dealers to go out of business and it hurt." So in September 1981, Thill Implement held a closing out auction and sold everything except the building. For a few years following, Massey-Ferguson leased the facility and operated a dealership there. Jack went on to own Tradexpos and produced farm shows around the midwest. He passed away in 2015. Today, the former Thill Implement building still stands, but the rows of machinery are long gone. The remaining memory is the Oliver tractors and machinery all over southern Minnesota still wearing the black and chrome "Thill Implement" decal.
An aerial view of Thill Implement in 1970's. Rows and rows of machinery are lined up surrounding the dealership.
Thill Implement earned the President's Honor Council Award in the 1960's. Shown L to R: Sam White, Jr., Jack Thill, Betty Thill, Beverly Felten, Harold Felten, Gail Meister, and Vern Meister. Photo Credit: Mary Miller
The Austin-Herald newspaper featured Thill Implement in 1967 announcing plans for the new building.
A full page ad for the Open House Celebration at the new Thill Implement building in March 1968.
The former Thill Implement building shown in 2021 outside of Rose Creek, Minnesota on Highway 56.
This ad from 1973 promoting both the Oliver and MF product lines at Thill Implement.
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