DOWAGIAC — One Dowagiac retailer is growing.

Ausra Equipment, which has been a local staple since the 1960s, has acquired a new location and is still looking to grow. Ausra Equipment, a Case IH dealership located at 30155 Yaw St., Dowagiac, recently purchased H.F.S. Tractor Sales and Service, located at 1218 S. 11th St., Niles. The Niles business will now be called Ausra Kubota Inc., selling Kubota products.

“This is a very exciting opportunity,” said Erin Dohm, office manager of Ausra Equipment.

In a letter to their customers, Larry Klug and Caroline Widdis, of H.F.S. Tractor Sales and Service, said they were pleased with the sale of H.F.S. to Ausra Equipment.

“The success of H.F.S. Tractor has been largely due to its amazing customer base,” they wrote. “We look forward to having a smooth transition as Ausra’s shares the same hometown courtesy and service that we do. They exceeded our hopes for a business we can trust our customers with.”

Dohm said Ausra Equipment was approached by the owners of H.F.S. about purchasing the business, as both Ausra and H.F.S. were family-run businesses. Ausra Equipment has been a family business since Robert Asura started it in 1964. Now, the company is owned by Robert’s sons Bob and Steve Ausra, and the next generation works at the store, including Dohm, who is Bob Ausra’s daughter.

“They thought that we would be a good fit,” Dohm said of H.F.S.’s owners. “[H.F.S.] is a family business, and we are excited to carry on what they have built.”

The acquisition of the Niles H.F.S. Tractor Sales and Service location is not the end of Ausra’s growth. The business is currently building a new Case IH dealership in Wayland, Michigan, which is expected to be completed in late February. Ausra is also looking to open another Ausra Kubota location in the St. Joseph or Stevensville area. Currently, the business is looking at properties in the area and should begin the project of purchasing or building the new location by mid-2019, Dohm said.

“We have a lot going on. It’s really exciting,” she said. “We are looking forward to all the opportunities to expand our customer base and be able to provide our products and services to more customers.”

Going forward, Dohm said she is excited to see the growth of Ausra Equipment, hoping that it continues as a successful family business for generations to come.

“Everyone is very proud of what we have built,” she said. “We hope to continue to serve our customers to the best of our ability.”