90 years and four generations. That is what will be celebrated in Hoisington Saturday as Manweiler Chevrolet observes their 90th anniversary at their location on Main Street.
The origins of Manweiler Chevrolet date to 1928 when Slade Chevrolet was founded. F.B. Slade, great-grandfather of current owner Gene Manweiler, established the family business at 167 West 1st Street in downtown Hoisington.
The business not only survived The Great Depression but outgrew its original location and relocated to 204 North Main Street in 1932. Slade sold the business to his two son-in-laws, August Manweiler and Wayne Maupin in 1937 and the name of the business was changed to Manweiler-Maupin Chevrolet Co. It was during WWII that the two partners decided to build a new facility, with the approval of Chevrolet Motor Division. The existing dealership site at 271 S. Main was selected as the site for the new building. Constructed in 1944, the Chevrolet dealership is a rare WWII example of a Streamlined Art Moderne building pre-dating the more common modern dealerships of the post-war era.
August Manweiler purchased Wayne Maupin’s interest in the business in 1953 and renamed the business Manweiler Chevrolet. It has operated under this name since that time and will celebrate sixty years in 2013. August’s son, Larry joined the staff in 1953. Larry became the dealer operator in 1965 and his father August slowly retired from the business. Gene Manweiler, Larry’s son joined the business in 1976. The great-grandson of J.B. Slade who founded the company in 1928, Gene took over the family-owned business in 1998 and continues to own and operate the dealership today.
Saturday’s anniversary celebration will include coffee and doughnuts at 8 am, a Golden Belt Humane Society “Adopt a Pet” event from 10-2pm that includes lunch, then a remote on 100.7 Eagle Country from 11am-1pm.