Lasalle Lawn Equipment
LaSalle Lawn Equipment is dedicated to you, the customer. We are not satisfied unless you are, and that means quality service, friendly sales staff, knowledgable parts staff, and educated service technicians are top priority. We promise to complete your service request in an order of date received manner that will exceed no more than 3-7 business days. We find this process to be the most effective for customer satisfaction. We are locally owned, family operated and steeped in knowledge of lawn equipment. Next time you need service, give us a try, we guarentee you will be happy with our prompt, professional service and broad selection of high quality products. We sell a full line of small engine parts and accessories for everything from gas trimmers and chainsaws to commercial grounds care equipment. If you need it, we can likely get it! LaSalle Lawn equipment also performs service on John Deere lawn equipment and sells parts for John Deere lawn mowers and power equipment.
Company details
Find locations served, office locations , manufacturers
- Business Type:
- Distributor
- Industry Type:
- Agriculture
- Market Focus:
- Nationally (across the country)
About Us
LaSalle Lawn Equipment was founded by Daniel Ryan in December 2004 in the Town of LaSalle in a residential 2 car garage. This garage belonged to Mr. Jim D Starrett, long time LaSalle resident along with his wife Lynn, daughter Jodi. Daniel met Jodi in Feb 2004 and never left her side, and was at the time employed by Carl Atkinson (owner) Kentown Limited, a John Deere dealership in Comber, ON.
Since he was a child, Daniel was interested in small engines, farm tractors etc and had been working with other small engine shop owners to gain knowledge of the trade. Some of these included Mr. Terrance Reaume (Terry's fix it shop) in Tilbury, ON, also Harold Ducharme of Emeryville, ON (Belle River Small Engine). He also obtained mechanical knowledge through peers whom were employed in the field (Luke Dummer) whom was employed at a local Toro dealer, Campeau Small Engine. [google4b1aa67af231d637.html]
After three years of service at Kentown as a technician for both Agricultural and Consumer products, Daniel's position was elimanted due to a company merger between Kentown Ltd. and McGrail Ltd of Chatham, ON. It was at this time, Daniel decided to undertake the task of starting his own Small Engine Repair shop (LaSalle Lawn Equipment). After obtaining permission from Mr. Starrett, it was a go, Daniel had full use of that same 2 car garage, which Jim had used for over 40 years. Daniel set up his tools, made some signs and posted them around town, and right away started getting busy with repairs from the locals. Soon after that Daniel started buying and selling used mowers, tillers, trimmers, snowblowers, etc. Daniel was able by the next spring season to retail parts for many major brands by setting himself up as a servicing dealer for several major manufacturers (Briggs & Stratton, Kohler Engines,Tecumseh Engines, Echo Power Equipment) and many aftermarket parts distributors. Later that season (summer 2005) Daniel approached the Yellow Pages and got setup for a good size ad to be in the Sept 2005 book. After a good return in the first season, surely once LaSalle Lawn Equipment was in the Yellow Pages, the next season would be a real booster!
By the time summer of 2006 rolled in, Daniel was so busy, he could not keep up. There were cars lined up in the street, mowers lined up in the driveway, equipment for sale on the front lawn, a phone ringing off the hook! WOW! this was great. Shortly after that, a letter came from the Town of LaSalle...there was a complaint from the neighbours about the noise and traffic. Mr Starrett was warned at that time to remove the business from the property within 30 days or be fined on a daily basis. Daniel was discouraged , here was a new exciting, thriving business possiblity for the Town of LaSalle and they wanted him shut down.
It was soon after that, Daniel & Jodi, along with the Ryan family and the Starrett family, began the search for a retail store to rent in a commercial LaSalle Business area. After exhaustive effort and many inquiries to the planning dept. it was clear that the corporation of the Town of LaSalle was in no position to let LaSalle Lawn Equipment operate.
Only one thing was overlooked...The City of Roses...yes Windsor. A building at the corner of Tecumseh Rd West and California Ave was perfect to start with. Daniel signed a lease and the family began fixing up the building as a retail and service facility. The store was open by the end of July 2006, now housing a full retail chain of products such as TORO, ECHO, STIHL, WEEDEATER, LAWN BOY, and many others. In hindsight, Daniel missed the old garage, but was moving up the business ladder.
Not all was perfect at the time, as his Parents had recently lost their positions of employment. This was a wrench that the family did not want to turn. It became a struggle to both survive and keep the doors open to the customers at the same time. Money was tight, but the family worked together, and with further support from the Starrett family and after much more struggling, things seemed to be looking up. The store was getting very busy, enough so that Mr and Mrs Ryan could stay on board as well.
Daniel had proposed to Jodi and asked her father for permission to marry and received a positive... YES! ..., here we go...business owner marries sweatheart, has children and lives happily ever after! Well sort of.
The building at 2410 Tecumseh Rd was quickly becoming smaller and the rent was getting more expensive. Once again faced with the question of relocating, Daniel began to search for a better location and rent package. He found a building locally owned on Provincial Road which was nearly 5000 sqft and in a high traffic retail area. Daniel negotiated a lease that was fair and began renovations.