Featuring Gordy Cimmiyotti and Chuck Hansen
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AUSTIN DAILY HERALD ONLINE
On the Road: Gordy's Repair thrives in Stacyville Gordy's Repair and Implement in Stacyville, Iowa, is the second-largest employer in this small prairie town, with 14 employees. The owner, Gordy Cimmiyotti is originally from Hayfield. He is the youngest of a family of seven and he has an eye for business. In this sagging economy, his business is thriving. "We're busier now then before. Farming has changed, but there are fewer dealers out there that handle a complete line of equipment like we do. We carry parts that are hard to find. We have 1,500 bearings for all the different implements out there. We have bolts of all sizes. We ship parts and serve a 100-mile radius," said Cimmiyotti. Gordy's Repair started out in Stacyville 32 years ago as a welding shop. Cimmiyotti bought the business from Francis Brumm, the town blacksmith. The building was 30 feet by 40 feet. Now the business has expanded to include three buildings with a total space of 60 feet by 100 feet. "We are six times bigger then when we started. Brumm was amazed by what we did. His two daughters work on the day crew here," Cimmiyotti said. From a small welding shop, to parts, and implement dealer, to manufacturing machinery, Gordy's Repair does it all for the farmers in this area. His two sons and one son-in-law work with him. Gordy's Repair manufactures and builds spray attachments for farm machinery, they also build loader buckets, and dump boxes. They currently are putting all new bottoms and sides on the trucks for the Mitchell County Highway Department. They do on farm repair and during the harvest and spring planting seasons; they are on call at all hours for breakdowns. "I learned to weld at school in Brookings, S.D. From there I went to Long Beach, Calif., and worked in a factory. After six months, I became the shop foreman. I didn't care for California, and moved to Charles City, Iowa, and worked for Oliver. I always liked farming and then worked for a farmer and Theobold Implement here. Then I bought the blacksmith shop," explained Cimmiyotti. Love of machinery is the driving force behind Gordy's Repair and Implement. For relaxation and fun, Cimmiyotti is the track technician for Cresco Speedway. He checks the cars to make sure they are legal and up to code. His wife, Sharon, is the head scorer at Cresco Speedway and his sons and grandchildren help out too. The Cimmiyottis have four grown children and 11 grandchildren, with one on the way. "Stacyville has good loyal people. My advice to anyone going into their own business is to surround yourself with people that are reliable. You need to put in a lot of hours and find a good community to work in and gain the respect of your customers. You must be loyal to them and they will be loyal to you," Cimmiyotti said. St. Ansgar restaurant is a local hangout For 27 years, Chuck Hansen of St. Ansgar, Iowa, has been in the restaurant business, along with his wife, Judy. They are the owners of Chuck's Sportsmen's Bar and Grill on Main Street. This restaurant is well-known for its Friday fish fries, Sunday buffet, prime rib and they serve the largest hamburger around with all the trimmings. Their Sunday Buffet is served from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and has six meats, salad bar and desserts. "We really are a family-orientated restaurant. We are known for our half portion menus that seniors like. Lots of people don't want a great big full meal anymore," Hansen said. Sportsmen's is the local hang out in St. Ansgar. They open at 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday. The regulars are waiting at the door by 5:45 a.m. to get their first cup of coffee for the day. This time of year, Sportsmen's caters to many hunters. Saturday lunch is full of hunters filling their stomachs and telling their tales. They are open until 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. "We have a full bar, but we are really known as a restaurant," Hansen said. Hansen always liked to cook. His mother was a great cook especially with wild game. He finessed his cooking skills under the guidance of Larry Wong, the former owner of the Viking's Supper Club in Northwood, Iowa. "Larry was my cooking teacher. He took me under his wing. He taught me to make my own fish batter, ribs, shrimp and he gave me all the recipes for the salads we serve. He taught me how to make some fantastic stir fries, but I don't cook them here," Hansen said. Before Hansen owned Sportsmen's, he sold insurance and before that he owned the Viking Supper Club in Northwood. They were well-known for their high quality food. Travelers often drove in off the freeway to partake in their famous fare. "This is an intense business. I got back into the business after I sold insurance because the only job I could get was cooking for someone else. I figured if I was going to cook, I was going to cook for myself," Hansen said. The Hansens rarely have a day off from their work. Running a restaurant is a rewarding business in that they have met so many people and made lots of friends. The downside to the business is that they work 60 to 70 hours a week. They have two children and three grandchildren and they are involved with raising them. The couple loves the time they spend with their grandchildren and they eat at the restaurant often. The Hansens said they like St. Ansgar and are proud of their little town with all of its charm.
Sheila Donnelly can be reached |