BELLE— Gary and Cathy Ridenhour officially purchased Rector Radiator Repair, 110 Belle Avenue, Belle, on May 31 and Cathy was already answering phones at the business Monday afternoon.
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BELLE— Gary and Cathy Ridenhour officially purchased Rector Radiator Repair, 110 Belle Avenue, Belle, on May 31 and Cathy was already answering phones at the business Monday afternoon.
“It was more or less wanting something to do, and we just decided to buy this place,” Cathy said about the couple’s decision to take over.
They are new to the automobile business, but Cathy has some office experience that she has put to use, while Gary helps in the shop.
“He more or less cleans up or picks up, gets parts, or picks up vehicles,” Cathy said. “We pretty much let the guys make the decisions. We are listening to them, not them listening to us. We are new at this.”
“The guys” she is referring to are employees Carl Buddemeyer and Kelly Schroeder, who have both been with the shop a year-and-a-half. Rector Radiator’s customers will continue to see their regular mechanics and the Ridenhours plan to keep the business name the same as it has always been.
“The business has been Rector Radiator for so many years, we wanted to leave it as Rector Radiator with the same phone number and everything,” Cathy said. “That way, when someone needs their radiator or vehicle repaired, they know who to call.”
While their paperwork will be filed under Ridenhour Radiator, LLC., doing business as Rector Radiator, Cathy said everything else will remain pretty much the same. Services will continue to include oil changes and auto repairs along with radiator repairs.
The couple has been in negotiations with previous owners, Justin and Erica Smith, since May 1. The Smiths purchased the business Oct. 2, 2017, with plans to expand it into a radiator and automotive shop.
“Not sure how many times it has changed hands, but ever since it has been here it has been Rector Radiator,” Cathy said. “Not sure who else has owned it.”
According to a previous Maries County Advocate article when the Smiths purchased the property, the shop is a long-time establishment in Belle. Rector Radiator opened in 1982 as a radiator repair shop.
Shop hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, contact the shop at 573-859-6198. Also watch their Facebook page, Rector Radiator, LLC., for news. The couple plans to hold a grand opening shindig in the near future.
