Saturday Business Spotlight: Rohlfs Implement Company
[August 02, 2025] For
close to 80 years, Rohlfs Implement Company has been serving Hartsburg
and surrounding areas in Logan County. The company has been owned by the
Rohlfs family for three generations, which is something of rarity today.
The 1996 Hartsburg Quasquicentennial book shared some of the history of
the company.
In 1946, Rohlfs Implement Company started in Hartsburg as a partnership
with brothers Alvin and Merle Rohlfs as owners of what was then called
Rohlfs Brothers Garage. Both men were from the area and had been in the
army before starting the business.
Their first building was formerly the “Ado” Schmidt blacksmith shop and
Lewis Hellman Garage.
During their early years, Rohlfs Implement Company sold Willys
automobiles, Jeeps, Kaiser Frazer automobiles, Gehl, Kewanee,
Minneapolis Moline, and Oliver Machinery.
By 1956, Merle
sold out to Alvin and went into the insurance business. Alvin Rohlfs
then bought the C.L. “Dutch” Kief store, old Allis Chalmers dealership,
Town Hall and tavern buildings which now house Rohlfs Implement Company
on 206 W. Front Street in Hartsburg.
There were more
additions to Rohlfs Implement in 1972 and 1975 when they erected two
more buildings across from the Hartsburg State Bank. These buildings
housed their parts department, office and work area for equipment.
In 1988, Alvin Rohlfs sold the business to three of his sons, Les,
Thomas, and Mike who proved to be very well qualified to run the
business.
The sons later opened a second dealership in Greenview after purchasing
an established Allis Chalmers and Gleaner dealership owned by Dave
Cramer. Many days, the employees go back and forth between the two
businesses.
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Les Rohlfs started working for the business when he was 22 and has now
been there over 50 years. He serves as the General Manager of Rohlfs
Implement.
Mike Rohlfs has been working there since 1986. He is in sales and also
serves as the service manager.
Brother Tom has
now retired.
In 1997, Les Rohlfs’ son Nathan joined the business, though he had been
helping out there by sweeping floors since he was a young boy.
Les Rohlfs said the new buildings were across the street from where they
had their first building. The new buildings added more space, which was
needed.
Rohlfs Implement offers a full line of OEM quality parts fine-tuned to
the AGCO product lines it carries. They sell farm equipment and tractors
plus used lawn and garden equipment.
Mike Rohlfs said their main product lines are Kubota, Massey Ferguson
and Gleaner. Kubota equipment is their more popular line, but he said
the Massey Ferguson equipment brings in higher dollars.
Their service department features skilled technicians who are trained to
keep the products they sell in good working order.
The business stocks a large inventory of accessories and parts for the
products they carry. In addition, they have the latest computer
technology to quickly find parts they need.
Mike Rohlfs said his love of agriculture is his favorite thing about
being part owner of the business. He could not imagine doing anything
else.
For Mike, the most rewarding part of being a business owner is customer
satisfaction and pride in owning a business.
The advice Mike would give to someone looking to open a business in
Logan County is business is very competitive. To him, service is number
one. Product reliability is also very important.
Something Mike said his dad always told him is that without parts and
service, you do not have anything.
Hopefully, Rohlfs Implement Company will continue to serve people’s farm
equipment needs for years to come.
[Angela Reiners]
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