B & J Power Equipment Owners on Eve of Historic 50th Anniversary
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[It's true. Opposites attract.
For Jess Coffel, 72, and Bill Hamburger, 71 that adage has been at the core
of a lifetime friendship and moreover a partnership now on the eve of its
50th anniversary.
How do you sustain a partnership that is the envy of downtown Du Quoin.
"We talk. Any business has its problems. But, we talk about everything,"
said co-owner Jess Coffel. "We find the solution."
Jess is the son of the late Jesse and Jessie Coffel. He grew up in Du Quoin,
attended Arthur School and was graduated from the Du Quoin Township High
School.
Bill is the son of the late Dedrich and Thelma Hamburger, attended Wheatley
and Ward Schools, and was graduated from the Du Quoin Township High School.
"Bill was in the first class that graduated from the new Du Quoin Township
High School (completed in 1955) as a member of the Class of 1956 and I was
in the second class in 1957," Jess said.
Jess first worked for the storied Frederick's Battery Station at the corner
of East Park and North Division Street in Du Quoin, then was hired by Louis
and Kathy Gremmels of Gremmels Hardware in April 1960.
Bill worked for the Du Quoin A & P grocery before heading into the United
States Navy as s structural mechanic whose tour included Iceland and
Newfoundland. He returned to the grocery after his discharge, but only for a
short time.
Their knowledge of the hardware and lawn and garden business is the most
seasoned of anyone in Du Quoin. "I always enjoyed finding the answers," says
Bill.
They call themselves "opposites" only because Jess enjoys the hands-on work
of B & J Power Equipment's shop. He loves the equipment. He loves getting to
the bottom of the problem. Bill says he enjoys the business aspect of the
partnership. He takes care of much of the ordering and the accounting. But,
make no mistake, both know it all like the back of his hand, as well.
Their friendship literally goes back to their birth. "My mother was a
midwife and she delivered Bill," said Jess.
The hardware store's name would be changed to B & J True Value when the
partners purchased the Gremmels' interests in January 1979. "The store was
No. 249 in the True Value records," said Jess. "Now, there are thousands of
True Value stores."
As American retailing changed and large chain stores like Wal-Mart made their
mark on the downtown landscapes all across America, Jess and Bill closed the
hardware store and transitioned to an outdoor lawn and garden business. B &
J Power Equipment has been home to names like Snapper, Lawn Boy, Stihl and
for many years John Deere and Troy-Bilt.
It is respected because of the character and integrity of the owners.
Their membership in the Gospel Assembly Church in Du Quoin has a lot to do
with it. "We have a large faith in the Lord," said Bill.
Their church is a model for churches all across the nation. The membership
is committed to the church. The church and the grounds are immaculate. It is
part of the mindset that Bill and Jess maintain in their personal lives.
Some of the best memories for the two men are those of people who worked for
the store. Included in the name-dropping are Louie and Kathy Gremmels along
with their children David, Kent and Pam. Others working early on were Norman
Keith, Don Ruby and Ernie Bartholomew, John Kaul, Ed Coffel, Ray Humphrey,
Ron Pyle, Dave Crain, Anita Peters, Lula Heape, Sue Ford, Sue Purdy, Frances
Stewart and Jo Ann James.
Later on, it was Jess's father-in-law Albert Norris, son Kevin, son-in-law
John and daughter Rhonda Fleming and Heather (Fleming) Willis. The working
family enlarged as Bill Hamburger's son Gary and wife Darlene were working
along with Bill's grandson's Josh, Jonathon, Brandon and Bryce.
Saturdays were spent cutting stove pipe and selling items like cross cut
saws, cow kickers, calf weaning supplies, galvanized tubs, buckets and "slop
jars" or "thunder mugs."
Some of the early equipment shop employees were Dale Coffel, Kenny Roberts,
Bob Maynard, Don Doerflein, Frankie Saunders, Josh McCuen. Present shop
employees are Jeff Oestricher, John Gibson, Kevin Coffel and Ryan Lively.
The store was one of the first to introduce Snapper riding mowers in 1962
and B & J Power Equipment has been a Stihl dealership since 1990.
A great history continues on Mulberry Street in what decades before was
Jess's great grandfather's livery stable and before the lawn mower shop came
into being Sheehan's Midwest Grocery.
You will have a chance to congratulate both during Saturday's open house.
Store hours are 8-5 Monday through Friday and 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday.