Elburn community welcomes Ralph Helm Inc. Lawn Equipment Center

Ralph Helm has been feeling the love from Elburn as of late.

Helm, who opened his Ralph Helm Inc. Lawn Equipment Center in the village at the beginning of March, said the welcome Elburn has given him has been wonderful.

The feeling continued on April 9 during an open house for Helm’s business. Helm said he decided last year to open his business in the village after he learned that Rob Houtz, whose family had owned the R.F. Houtz & Son Cub Cadet business in town the past 81 years, planned to retire in March 2016.

Following discussions between the two men, Houtz sold his building on North Street to Helm in early summer 2015. They reached a mutual agreement about the business, and Helm bought some of Houtz’s inventory, equipment and tools, and also hired his employees.

Helm is leasing the building at 820 Stover Drive, Unit A, off Thyrelius Street, while he actively looks for properties during the next couple of years to build a new storefront, preferably along Route 47. Helm has said that, with locations already in Elgin and Crystal Lake, opening the location in Elburn works well with his growth strategy.

Helm has been stopping by the Stover Drive location the past few months, moving in and getting things ready to open for business. He said a number of people have stopped by to introduce themselves.

Helm said that he will carry the Cub Cadet line, as well as a variety of other brands, such as Toro, Honda, Stihl and Echo. He will offer a variety of other products, such as generators rototillers, chain saws, leaf blowers and string trimmers.

“Instead of having to travel to Sugar Grove or Batavia for these items, people will be able to stay in town and buy them,” Helm said.

There are on-site demo units of many of the products available, so customers can try them out to see if they like them. Most of the manufacturers have special financing available when it comes time to purchase items.

In addition to new tool and equipment sales, Helm offers maintenance and repair of the equipment he sells, as well as other machines. The service technicians who were employed by the Houtz operation are now working for Helm.

Tool and equipment parts are for sale for the do-it-yourself crowd.

Helm is the third generation of the family in the business, which was started by his grandfather in 1923. He has been in the business since 1983.

“We’re just excited to be here, and we want to let people know to stop in. We’re here to help them out,” Helm said.

If you go

What: Ralph Helm Inc.

Where: 820 Stover Drive, Unit A, Elburn

Phone: 630-365-7225

Fax: 630-365-7228

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to noon Saturday