It’s not often that a business celebrates 100 years of continuous service and even less likely that it’s been under the continuous ownership of the Nofzinger/Baus family for that entire time. In fact, only three percent of family businesses make it to the fourth generation of ownership.
However, Car 1 in Archbold has achieved that fete this year with current owners Chad and Aaron Baus.
Chad, who recently shared the business history with Archbold Rotarians, explained that the business opened its doors in 1926 as Archbold Auto Wrecking on Mechanic Street where Tap Culture Coffee is now located.
The original owners were brothers CJ and John (JJ) Nofzinger.
Two years later when the business was franchised to sell Pontiac and Oakland automobiles, it became Nofzinger Bros. Auto Sales. Newspaper ads from 1928 offered a new Pontiac for $744. After a few years, Oakland stopped making cars and shortly before World War II, the business sold Hudson autos.
Baus explained that all car and truck sales ended during the war while auto plants switched to building vehicles for the war effort.
Following the passing of the original owners in the 1950s, their sons-in-law, Ed Baus and Dale Short, became the owners and changed the company name to Nofzinger Motor Sales, a company name that the business still owns.
In 1986, the third generation took ownership – Ed’s son Larry Baus. And, in 1991 GMC trucks were added to the Pontiac line and the business became Nofzinger Pontiac-GMC.
In 1995, the business moved from Mechanic Street, where it had outgrown the location, to South Defiance Street before that location and business name were sold in 1998.
In 1999, Larry and his son Aaron Baus returned to the original Mechanic Street location and opened the business Car 1 that focused on selling quality, low mileage pre-owned vehicles. Two years later, that business moved to its current location on State Route 66 and Larry’s son Chad joined the business. Chad and Aaron became co-owners in 2012 – the fourth generation.
They have planned a public celebration of the business’s 100th anniversary for Saturday, August 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Chad explained that they will move all of their vehicles off site so that they can host a car show complete with food trucks.
— Information Provided
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