Greetings from our store in Goldsboro, North Carolina.  It's been my privilege to visit the last few days for the first time in a few years.  Steve Mittlestadt one of our new IT staff was making his first company plane trip to install new phone and data lines so I decided to join him.  This store was started in early 1989 the same year I started with Worthington Ag Parts.  It's been too long and I forgot just how beautiful it is out here.  The only down side to the trip was Skip (Albert) Leigh our store manager was gone to Kentucky visiting his grand children so I missed him.   

Speaking of Skip as I sit in his office I see a black and white photo printed off the printer and pinned to the wall of his wonderful family and I just have to share it with you!  I'm not sure which of these grand children he is visiting but I am confident whichever one it is they love Grandpa and Grandma because it's hard to beat Skip and Nancy!  What a beautiful family!  Sorry the photo is rough but I just shot a quick picture of it with my phone but I just couldn't resist sharing it!

It's truly a long term family out here.  The average employee has worked 16 years for us here at our North Carolina store.  We have a seasoned crew with plenty of parts knowledge on the counter, Sherrill, Danny and Skip can get you the right parts to keep your tractor, combine and cotton picker back up and running!  If they are busy our office manager Tammy Sutton has been known to grab a phone and sell a few parts too.  Tammy has been with us for twenty years!  She handles all the bookkeeping functions for this store and our Evansville, Wisconsin location and any other store that needs her help!  I tried to negotiate a photo but after 20 years of service I guess she has the right to veto it.  She looks her lovely self and you'll have to take my word for it!

As I sit here and look out the window the farmer is actually spiking his tobacco field. Danny was quick to educate me that the farmer is replacing the tobacco plants that died and didn't take. They pull the dead plant and spike a new plant into the ground using a Pepsi Cola bottle. Well I guess you learn something new every day and especially if your around Danny for any length of time.  Those of you that have meant him know what I'm talking about - Ha!

The store is located right on Highway 70 straight west of Goldsboro.  You can't miss it just look for the big red tractor on top of the sign.  You can see in the picture above just how it looks.  That tractor has been able to survive a many straight line winds cause by the hurricanes that blow in off the coast.  That's a problem we don't have to worry about at the rest of our stores in the United States.  I have to wonder if any of our customers have tried to climb up there and take a few parts off the old fella! 

The phones are up and running with the new lines today - Internet access is cruising so we'll be able to fly home later this afternoon!  Good job IT department you had things lined up well for the conversion.  That's all for today remember to call 1.888.845.8456 to be routed to a store near you for all your tractor parts, combine parts, and cotton picker parts needs and our website is always open at www.worthingtonagparts.com. 

Cheers,

 Mike Winter

My day started off interesting at the very least. It was suggested to me that some people in the Worthington, Minnesota area think we are closing down for a move to Sioux Falls, South Dakota given our expansion in that city. This couldn't be father from the truth!

Yes, we have invested in Sioux Falls, but this investment is in our Export Division and Capello Implement Division. Worthington Tractor Parts, Inc. has many different business units not only Worthington Ag Parts our parts retail distribution business.

I want to let everyone know that we have also invested almost a half a million dollars in reconstructing the front of the Worthington, MN store to accommodate the highway project. We would not have been able to function if didn't get ahead of the highway and it's reconfiguration. A couple of buildings had to be removed along with a lot earth work so the area could handle the water runnoff and be able to handle vehicles on the south frontage! A new loading dock was constructed in the back of the facility as the old one was out front along the highway.  We also contructed new a new privacy fence required by the county when the state required us to remove our existing fence. Here are some photos of the new look in front of our yard in Worthington!

At the current time no one gets to just pass by on the highway anymore.  It's going to be awhile before that happens again.  So if you want to see the new frontage drive on out - the coffee is always on and Dan, Arnie, Dennis, Roger, Rick and Mark are waiting to visit with you!

If you would like to see a video of how to get to our store in Worthington - click here!