Henderson Motor owners Mel and Becky Franz reflect on their 50 years in business.
Henderson Motors has a long history in Henderson at 946 N. Mains Street, and owners Mel and Becky Franz have reached a significant milestone, celebrating 50 years in business and counting. They took a few moments to reflect on their journey since they bought the business from George and Donna Franz back in 1973.
“I always thought I’d retire at 65, but it came and went, and I wasn’t ready, and I’m still not. I tell everyone that as long as I can find my way back to work, I’ll keep going!” said Mel. He admits that he’d like to slow down someday, but in the meantime, he’s busier than ever.
Mel is a 1970 Henderson graduate who went to Wyoming Tech school in Larimee, where he received training in auto mechanics. When he came back to Henderson, he already had a job waiting for him at Tri-County Automotives.
After he and Becky were married, they moved to Grand Island so Becky could complete business school, and Mel got a job at Greens Frame Shop, where he worked in their machines department. When they discovered there was an opportunity to purchase Henderson Motors, they didn’t think twice about making the move back to Henderson and striking out on their own at ages 18 and 20.
Henderson Motors was originally established in 1913 by Gerhard J. Kroeker, according to the “Holland to Henderson” history book, and it changed ownership many times, but the Henderson Motors name has stayed.
Little did Mel and Becky know what kind of changes the automotive business would undergo in the next 50 years under their ownership. In 1989, they built a 48 x 120 ft. addition to their building that allowed for much more headroom to accommodate the hoists needed for larger farm equipment.
“When I first started, we mostly worked on carboraters and tune-ups. Today, cars don’t even have a carburetor!” said Mel. Currently, it’s all about diagnostics utilizing a laptop, scanner, and proprietary software for computer-controlled vehicles.
“We are fortunate to have a great auto-tech, Doug Kraejdl, who is very good with all the new technology. He is not only proficient at diagnosing problems but also fixing them. It’s important to get the diagnoses right since parts have become so expensive,” said Mel.
About 70% of Mel’s business involves selling, repairing, and refurbishing irrigation motors. “I can work on irrigation equipment every day of the year, and in the summer, I go out to the countryside into the fields for onsite repairs,” said Mel. He services a large territory of clients from as far south as Hebron, west to Giltner, and east of Highway 81.
“I really enjoy what I do, and we’ve been fortunate having our kids, and now our grandkids help out at the shop. Whether it’s taking inventory, cleaning, or putting away parts, they’ve all had some sort of a job here,” said Mel.
It’s no surprise that one of their grandsons, Tobin Glinsmann, is currently at Southeast Community College in Milford and hopes to join the family business after he finishes his automotive training there. Since Tobin was a teenager, he has been assisting Mel with the irrigation side of the business, tearing down and cleaning irrigation motors.
Becky has always been an integral part of their success in managing the bookkeeping for the business. Even when she owned her own floral shop and was the Henderson pool manager, she would work evenings to get the statements out on time.
When they aren’t working at the shop, Mel and Becky have tackled several home-building and renovation projects over the years. Mel enjoys woodworking in his spare time and considers it his hobby.
Congratulations to Mel and Becky for their long-standing commitment to providing quality service to their customers at Henderson Motors for the past 50 years!
