The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

Area residents are invited to 'Save the Date' for Jamieson Motor's Hi-Line Appreciation Event. This celebration, which is scheduled for noon on Friday, June 24, will commemorate their 80 years in business.

About the event, current owner, Matt Langford stated, "Please join us for food, music, drinks, giveaways, door prizes, and lots of fun! We want to thank not only our customers but everyone on the Hi-Line for allowing us to serve you in the automotive industry for the last 80 years!"

Langford is the fourth-generation owner of Jamieson Motors. His purchase of his father's shares in May 2020 and his uncle's shares in June 2021 makes him the sole owner/shareholder and marks the company as the longest operating, family-owned Chrysler Dealership in Montana.

Following lunch on June 24, with a menu to be determined, the business will offer cake and refreshments later in the afternoon and a taco/nacho bar in the evening.

The passing of the torch has been a seamless process since Fred Langford, who serves in sales, and Jay Jamieson, who helps in the shop wherever he is needed, both continue to work at the dealership and play an active role in the business. Including the three aforementioned, Jamieson Motors currently employs ten people. The business is also a member of the Chinook Area Chamber of Commerce.

"Because 80 years is a big milestone, we really wanted to do something bigger than we've done in the past. We encourage everyone to come have lunch, stay for cake, and help us celebrate the night away," said the owner's wife, Tess Langford.

She added: "This celebration isn't just about customers, but for everyone in our community and across the Hi-Line who supports small businesses. We look forward to many more years of serving our customers, supporting the youth of our community, engaging with other businesses, and continuing a family tradition."

The 80th Anniversary Celebration actually began in January 2022, when the business posted to their Facebook page: "While we were thick into World War II, it seems some pretty great things started in 1942. Stay tuned for some exciting news about our upcoming 80th Anniversary Celebration!"

In addition to the opening of Jamieson Motors in 1942, Langford had culled several gems from the internet. "Here are some other fun things that began in 1942:

• Duct Tape was invented

• Instant Coffee made its debut

• The Voice of America Radio Programming began

• Movies like Bambi and Casablanca premiered

• The K9 Corp formed

• The Alaska Highway through Canada was completed, and

• Famous people Jimi Hendrix and Harrison Ford were born."

To further memorialize the history of their business, Jamieson Motors will be hosting a "Through the Decades" Mini Mopar® Car Show. Langford reported that he hopes to have a Dodge/Chrysler car from every era, from the 1930s until the present.

As he spoke about the business, Langford reported that Jamieson Motors had its "best year ever" last year in the used car market. "With COVID complications and supply chain issues, used vehicles are bringing new car prices. We just can't get new models on the lot."

To help the business celebrate, Aquatana of Havre printed custom labels for their water bottles. Arriving in March, these labels feature the business name, the Dodge Ram emblem, contact information, and a commemorative insignia: 80 Year Anniversary; Established 1942. When customers stop in for vehicle maintenance, they are invited to "grab an 80th Anniversary Water from the cooler and rehydrate while you wait!"

A trip to the past will share some of the business' roots and history. The company's founder, James W.R. Jamieson was born in Edinburg, North Dakota. After attending high school there, he studied engineering at North Dakota State College at Fargo. From 1916 until 1929, Jamieson farmed in Montana and taught engineering in the off-season in his home state.

In 1929, he entered the automobile business in Hogeland, Montana, by buying into a dealer partnership. In 1938, after fire destroyed the Hogeland dealership, Jamieson moved to Chinook with his wife Anne and their family. He did welding, electrical, and lathe work for Clarence Anderson until 1942 when he purchased the business and the building that currently houses Jamieson Motors from Anderson. It became a family partnership in 1945 and a corporation in 1960.

In an article he wrote for the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Magazine in May 1960, Jamieson stated that "nothing creates more customer satisfaction than a job thoroughly performed." He believed that work done well is the best advertising and that service acts as a form of personal advertising that will contribute to customer retention.

Influenced by the family patriarch, this value system has been the hallmark of the business. As the younger Langford continues to grow the business, he will borrow from this set of ideals-a belief system that has been ingrained by generations of family influence. "The best way to grow our business is to keep treating our customers how we like to be treated: be honest, fair, and up front with them. We also do the best we can to evolve with an ever-changing automobile industry. Our customer retention is above industry percentages, and our sales growth is pretty stable. The difference is that profit margins have changed.

"What we like to see is that the dealership is selling to families four generations deep in some cases. Growth will come from finding the balance between a technologically advanced society while continuing to serve the older generation of customers. Finally, keeping our technicians up to date on training certifications is imperative. We want to have the highest qualified technicians working in our store. Things change daily, and our guys do a great job at staying up to date," Langford concluded.