Dennis Hughes, owner of The Handy Man Mower Sales & Service, has been working with lawn mowers his entire life. Operating from what used to be the old Number 7 Schoolhouse, built in 1881, Dennis and his wife Melissa have built quite a reputation for quality lawn mower sales and service in the local area. Asked about the history of his company and the services they provide, Dennis replies;
The Handy Man was started in 1972 by Charles Ricketts and his wife. Charlie was retired and wanted to start a business where he could make some money on the side so he started going to people's homes and doing remodeling, replacing kitchen cabinets, and doing outside work. One day, a lady asked if he could fix her lawn mower and everything just evolved from there. He fixed her lawn mower, and, before long, had turned his business into a lawn mower shop.
I began working here part time in 1979 by raking the yard, cleaning blades and decks, checking oil, and sweeping the floors. I really enjoyed working here, and, before long, Charlie put me on full time and I became the main person in the shop. Since he was in his seventies, he really didn't do a lot of work at the time but he kept telling me that some day, I would own this place and run the business, and, sure enough, he was right!
I work on all makes and models of lawn mowers, rototillers, and snowblowers, and, from time to time, I have used ones for sale. When customers bring an item in for repair, I give them a ballpark estimate of the cost. I know mowers are expensive, so, if someone brings in a mower that's fifteen or twenty years old to be repaired, unlike many mower shops, I will try to make the repairs instead of just trying to sell them a new machine.
I always recommend yearly checkups to keep your equipment running smoothly. I have had customers bring in the same mower for many years and it is all because they make sure the preventative maintenance is done. By keeping your equipment tuned and having the oil changed frequently, your equipment will last a lot longer. We do everything from tune-ups, oil changes, repairing flat tires, and performing minor welding to doing complete overhauls. We work on all makes of mowers and any time a mower is in for service, I automatically sharpen the blades. For customers who bring in blades to be sharpened, I can sharpen them right away so they can take them home with them. We sell mower tires and parts and maintain a good supply of parts for the Dixon® ZTR® mowers and Briggs and Stratton. While I don't stock parts for all the other makes and models, I can usually get the parts in just a day or so.
Dixon® ZTR® mowers are the only brand I sell. They're zero turn machines meaning that they'll spin right around on a dime. Dixon® ZTR® has a two year warranty for residential use and they have a protection plan that can extend the warranty. I'm certified in Dixon® ZTR® repair and am an authorized Dixon® ZTR® Dealer. We've been selling their line since I first started working here. Charlie special ordered one for a customer who was looking for a lever controlled mower and, once he saw their high quality, he started to carry them all the time. For customers who are interested in buying a new mower, I usually let them try it out for a few days to make sure it's what they want before they invest their money. We offer pick-up and delivery service and we take trade-ins.
We're still here after all these years because of our top notch service and reasonable prices. I'm very concerned about my customers and I always try to do what's right. If you're looking for honesty, we're the shop for you. My policy has always been, "If I can't fix it, I don't charge for it", and that's kept us very popular with our customers.
Protect your investment in your lawn and garden equipment by keeping it in tip-top shape by calling The Handy Man Mower Sales & Service today. While you've got Dennis on the telephone, don't forget to tell him that The Advocate sent you!
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