Buffalo City Diesel open in new shop

Kevin Thoele, owner of Buffalo City Diesel, watched his business burn to the ground just more than a year ago.

Now things are getting back to normal at Buffalo City Diesel’s new location, 2603 Third Ave. S.W., which opened in March.

“I’d say it’s probably picked up another 15 percent of where we were,” Thoele said of business.

After an electrical fire burned his old location, just down the road, he said he decided to keep doing diesel work.

His workers returned and work continued but in small garages, eventually settling into the old Champ Industries building, Thoele said.

“The first couple of weeks we worked out of one tool box,” he said.

Now with the new location Buffalo City Diesel has added an employee along with 3,000 square feet.

“I’m just starting now to see where being in the building helps,” Thoele said.

The 11,600-square-foot building has an expanded showroom for parts, customer waiting area, full kitchen and showers for mechanics, and an expanded diesel workshop.

The shop has four entry doors on each side serving as drive-through bays. The old location had two. A wash bay has been installed as well as Freon recycling.

Buffalo City Diesel also provides custom lettering and trailer service at its new location, which it didn’t offer before.

“The overall job is a lot more professional in the end, just better service overall for the customer,” Thoele said.

Any diesel vehicle can be serviced at the shop, from 3/4 ton pickups, to semi tractors to farm equipment.

“We’ll pretty much tackle everything,” he said.

The $1.1 million shop had some help getting off the ground with loans and grants from the Bank of North Dakota, the Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. and stimulus dollars, Thoele said.

“The JSDC was a big help through all of this,” he said.

After three months at the new location the operation seems to be going smoothly, Thoele said.

“I think we’re settled in pretty good.”

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by e-mail at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local business, business, diesel