First, you start with a broom in hand. Next, you’re promoted to taking out the trash. Then, finally, you learn how to put parts away.
There’s a graduated system for kids growing up in a dealership. Scott Weagant and his cousins and co-owners, Stacey Weagant and Julie Black followed those footsteps.
It’s a right of passage to learn all of the roles within a dealership before you take over ownership. Will it be the same for the fourth generation, and will they take over the dealership one day?
Certainly not without earning it.
The First Generation
Fred and Anita started Weagant Farm Supply in 1953.
Fred was a handyman that upskilled from selling wagon wheels at his general store to fixing and retailing farm equipment. He started with Cockshut and later added New Holland while touring the countryside, selling and servicing equipment for existing farmers and newly settled Dutch farmers.
The Second Generation
Years later, Bob Weagant, Laird Weagant, sons, and David Black, son-in-law, took over the dealership.
Together, they built the Brockville location in 1982, and throughout the years, they’ve worked with almost every manufacturer. From White, who purchased Cockshut, to Fiat under the name Heston, to New Holland and Kubota, all alongside power sports, trailers, and short line providers.
“Our family was highly successful because we were diversified,” says Scott. “We stayed out of the barn, but we weren’t just big into tractors either. We were just as happy to sell a hay wagon.”
Wisely so, because in 1993, everything took a significant shift just as they opened Topline Trailers & Equipment Sales, an offshoot of the main business.
Without notice, Fiat purchased the Ford Motor Company Ag Division and pulled their commitment from the Heston name, leaving all North American dealers without a product to sell. They weren’t allowed to sell Kubota at their flagship dealership either.
“We found ourselves without our main line. So we did three things: purchased land on the north section of Winchester, rented a small spot in town while we built, and bought the local Ford dealer from the retiring owners,” Scott explains.
The Current Generation
In 1997, Scott, Julie, and Stacey returned to the business. Seeing an opportunity for growth, they built a new building and grew exponentially.
Three stores. Three families. Each running autonomously to meet their local needs and markets but always as one group.
Brockville served mainstream agriculture with smaller farms, Winchester served big, progressive farms, and Topline served large property owners and hobby farmers.
Scott spends most of his time at Topline Trailer and Equipment, where 80% of the focus was on trailers, and now it’s largely been replaced by Kubota. And it’s where he’s happy to be.
A few years ago, the family stopped selling New Holland and made a purposeful shift to Kubota.
“New Holland was pulling us in many directions and wanted us to become a big, corporate entity. Kubota Canada on the other hand worked as our partner and was happy to grow with us at our own pace.
Most Kubota dealerships are 1-3 stores at most, and owners live and work in their dealerships. We believe in having owners in-store at all times, not to micro-manage, but to have a good feel of what’s going on.”
The Next Generation
Will their kids take over?
“You’re proud of your business and would like to see your life’s work carried on. If one of my sons came back after school, I would hope that I could steer them for a while and then back off and give them the reins,” shares Scott.
He laughs, “I’m a control freak, so that may be hard.”
Scott continues, “we’re lucky to be in a profitable industry that has a good positive outlook in the future without having to be monstrous. We provide something people need, and we’re diversified. We can handle it ourselves as a family.”
“Hopefully, one day I can get a day off,” he says, ironically working alongside his 72-year-old father, who is still very active in the business.
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