March 28, 2024

From country to town

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Travis Auto and Truck is Creston’s newest business. David Travis, co-owner, has been in the auto trade for 14 years, but he said now was the right time to finally move to town and get his own storefront.

“We’ve always sold a few pickups out in the middle of the country,” Travis said. “We’re farmers — it’s what we do — so this is a side deal. But we’ve always been buying wrecked vehicles, and selling vehicles on demand. People would call us up with an order, and when they had that order we would fill it.”

Travis’ daughter, Mandy Henderson, manages the business. He said he and his family shares a love for horses, and his interest in trucks plays right into that love.

“My daughters and I are all into horses,” Travis said. “So we’re at a lot of horse events — we’re around farmers, and people that like pull-trailers. And so we’ve always had that ‘in,’ on that end, and that’s what’s got us to do this for years.

“I didn’t learn [about trucks] from anywhere,” Travis added. “Just hard up. It’s kind of like fixing your house. Until you have money, it’s something you’ll do [on your own].”

The trucks Travis now sells at his dealership are auction vehicles, purchased from used car auctions.

Travis explained there are two major auctions for used vehicles in Des Moines. He said unless he gets a trade-in, those auctions are where he gets the vast majority of his vehicles.

Travis said his nephew, Jamie Travis, purchased the property in Creston thinking of him, but that the new property was still a surprise.

“So my nephew bought this building, was out at my place and said ‘Have you ever thought about coming to town?’” Travis said. “And I said, ‘Well, we don’t have any Highway 34 frontage.’ And then he told me he just bought Highway 34 frontage!

“Oh, I think he was just trying to look out for his old uncle in his old age,” Travis said laughingly. “Trying to help me out. And farming has not been that great in this community right now, as you know — we’ve been in a real slum. So he was just thinking this might be a great opportunity for uncle Dave to move to town and further what he was doing.”

Travis said he has since relocated to Creston, and his son, Curtis Travis, also part owner of Travis Auto and Truck, has moved to David’s old place in the country, where the family farms cattle, hogs and row crops.

“We’re just with a whole lot of people that need trailers, and that’s kind of what we like to deal in,” Travis said. “We do others, but our main business is pickups. Three-quarter ton pickups, ‘toners, diesels — stuff like that.”

Travis said he used to work with semis, horse-trailers and Harley-Davidsons, but is excited to have the opportunity to specialize in what he enjoys working with the most – trucks.

“Our goal is to continue to do this and farm,” Travis explained. “It’s kind of what we’ve been doing for 14 years — we just moved to town finally. I like what I do, so I don’t know. We hope the business goes well, but still our main business is farming. ... Though sales have been really good.”

Travis moved into the building, located at 709 S. Pine St., about one month ago. He is still in the process of remodeling it. He shares the space with Star Cure, who operates a vehicle detailing service out of the building’s bay.