1 • Wednesday, August 9, 2017 - Shopper’s Guide
Serving the communities in Stephenson County
Shopper’s Guide
VOL. 79 • NO. 32
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2017
Leverton Sales and Service in McConnell celebrates 60 years By Tony Carton EDITOR
Leverton Sales & Service’s was born in 1953 and the business “cut its teeth” with the sales and service of McCulloch chainsaws. Even in those early days, Franklin Leverton was an entrepreneur with a vision, so over time he added boats and motors, and motorcycles; and then in 1957 the burgeoning business added the line of Simplicity Lawn and Garden Equipment, so that today, some 60 years later, folks know to go to Leverton’s in McConnell for quality, sales, and service. “Mark followed his dad around as soon as he could walk, so he grew up with the business,” said Nikki Leverton who together with husband Mark operates the company. “He spent hours with his dad outside and in the shop “working,” and as he got older, his focus grew into a hands-on, lifelong learning experience of just doing his best at what he and his dad always loved.” When the time came for passing the reins, Mark decided that he didn’t want the business he had built with his parents to just stop, so he decided with his wife Nikki to not only take it over, but nurture it and build it into one of the mainstays of lawn and garden equipment sales and service in Northwest Illinois. Nikki said the introduction of technology is the single most important change they’ve made since taking over the business. “We not only introduced the use of computers for inventory and record keeping, but we also took the business on the web so folks could find us,” she
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Mark and Nikki Leverton and family took over the business his parents built and it’s still growing today.
said. “We built the Leverton Sales dot com web site ourselves and at the same time we modernized the store so when folks walk in they are amazed.” They put in the walls and lowered the ceiling. They added lighting and built displays and changed the appearance of the shop from a dark machine
shed to a modern sales and service showroom. “It was always a wonderful little business built on a foundation of good service and word of mouth,” Nikki said. “We’ve worked hard to build on that ethic and today Leverton’s still has the feel of a ‘mom and pop shop.’”
Adkins gives back to Lena Community Park District “Lena’s parks are a big part of what makes the town a great place to live and visit, and we’re happy to help them out,” said Adkins Energy General Manager Ray Baker. “We’re excited to be able to make this donation because we’re proud to be a part of Lena, too.” This is the fourth year that Adkins has partnered with CoBank in its “Sharing Success” program, which makes contributions to nonprofit organizations in rural America. CoBank matched a $5,000 Adkins donation to
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Adkins Energy LLC is proud to team with CoBank, its finance partner, to present $10,000 to the Lena Community Park District (LCPD). LCPD plans to use the donation towards a security system and lighting upgrade for Lions Park and a computer system upgrade for the district office. The project will include a new remote camera-based security system and additional lighting for the park, a less costly option than contracting outside security for the park.
increase the impact of its donation. Past recipients of funds include the Lena-Winslow School District, the Highland Community College Agriculture Program and the Lena Fire Station.
It does indeed remain a family run business and the original “mom” is still around, she’s 94 and doesn’t see the need to come to the store anymore, but she ran the books for years and kept an extraordinarily meticulous set of records. Mark and |Nikki know what it took to get from 1953 to 2017 and they see more of the same for the future. “I see us continuing the Leverton legacy and growing,” Nikki said. “And, maybe even having our own children continue in the business after us.” Their children, Debra, Adam and
Anne are grown and married and have brought their parents five children and one on the way so that Mark’s love for his Dad and the business he built, and the hard work ethic they shared will keep Franklin’s legacy alive. Learn more about the services and equipment available at Leverton Sales and Service online at levertonsales. com or by Email at leverton128@hotmail.com or stop by the shop at 304 East Main, McConnell, phone (815) 868-2237 and be sure to stop by Leverton’s 60th anniversary open house celebration on September 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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