Rock Rapids, Iowa — It’s the end of an era in Rock Rapids. For the first time since the 1950’s, there will not be a Vander Lee working at the GM dealership in town.
Norm and Rollie Vander Lee have been operating Vander Lee Motors for quite some time after taking over the business from Kooiker Motors several years ago, and Friday was their last day running it. Rollie Vander Lee tells us about the transaction.
Vander Lee says he’s been working for the dealership since he was young.
He says his dad Norman started working for the dealership June 1st, 1959. Rollie’s son Tom has also worked for the dealership for a number of years but recently took a job under his father-in-law, delivering propane for Cooperative Energy’s Rock Rapids location, across the street from the dealership.
The dealership that is buying Vander Lee Motors is also a family business. Gary Papik bought the dealership from Warren Schoon several years ago and they built a large new sales, service, and parts building along I-90 in the late 1990s. Jordan Papik tells us what’s going to happen next with the Rock Rapids location.
Papik tells us what they’ve got in mind for the building.
He says they plan on hiring more people at the Rock Rapids facility. According to Papik, they’ll continue to sell Chevrolet and Buick from Rock Rapids, but they will be able to assist with other lines they carry in Luverne.
Papik tells us they will also have a full line of used vehicles. He says they’re going to start with a lower inventory, but they will increase it significantly over the next few months. Papik says if all goes well, they even have their eyes set on building a new facility if they can “put all the pieces together and make it all work.” He says they’re excited for the opportunity to do some great things and grow the business in Rock Rapids. He says they’re grateful to the Vander Lees for all they’ve done over the years and they’re looking forward to being a part of the Rock Rapids community.
