A century of selling and servicing vehicles brought generations of customers and the Mouw family together Saturday as Mouw Motor Company celebrated its 100th anniversary in Sioux Center.
The celebration featured a cars and coffee gathering, food, children’s activities, and an opportunity to reflect on a business that now includes a fourth generation of the family.
Classic cars, trucks, and even a couple of tractors filled the gathering. Steve Mouw said participation exceeded his expectations, with visitors sharing memories of buying their first vehicles and returning to the dealership over the years.
From a Small Shop to Four Generations
During Sioux County Radio’s live remote broadcast, Marion Mouw recalled how his father began working as a mechanic after struggling to make a living on the farm. A small shop at home eventually led him into Sioux Center and the automobile business.
The early years included challenges that put the century milestone into perspective.
“My father used to talk about the year that he had in the thirties when he sold one new vehicle for the whole year,” Marion said.
Today, the business includes Marion, his sons Steve and Dave, and Steve’s son Devin. Dave said the dealership employs approximately 30 full- and part-time workers, crediting both employees and the surrounding community for its longevity.
Steve said relationships with returning customers have remained central to the business, even as the internet has expanded its reach. The dealership has sold vehicles in all 50 states and several countries.
“Just getting to know the customer, and they learn to trust you. You trust them, and the relationship just makes for the whole process to go so much easier,” Steve said. “But we’ve been really blessed with a community that supports us very well.”
Looking Ahead and Giving Back
Steve said the dealership’s current facility is its third main location in Sioux Center. The business spent 43 years at its previous facility before outgrowing the space.
Devin began washing cars during high school and helped during college before graduating from Northwestern College. He and his wife later moved to Austin, Texas, where he gained additional dealership experience before returning to Sioux Center.
Now working in sales, he hopes to help the business continue adapting to changes in marketing and technology. The opportunity to work alongside family is also meaningful.
“Myself just getting to work with family every day with my dad, my uncle, grandpa, it’s just been a huge blessing, and I don’t want to take that for granted,” Devin said.
The anniversary celebration also highlighted an ongoing effort to give back. Mouw Motor Company is collecting food throughout September for Hope Food Pantry in Sioux Center as part of a broader Ford dealer food drive.
An F-150 on the showroom floor serves as the collection point, with the dealership hoping to deliver a full pickup load of donated food.
