PHILLIPS TIRE AND SERVICE

by Lynn Phillips

Entry B25 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Phillips Tire and Service - Lynn Phillips owner 1962

Phillips Motors was started by Lynn and
Joellen Phillips in the early summer of 1959
as a used car lot located where Big Red's Cafe
now stands at 404 SW 1st Street. In Novem-
ber 1959 they purchased Pete's Body Shop
from Charles (Pete) Schoene and Cecil
Baldwin, and Pete continued doing body
repair for the business. This building is
located at the intersection of SW 1st and
Blaine Streets. In 1962 equipment was
purchased to do major frame alignment and
front and repair work.

Being unable to get a full Rambler car
dealership here, we became Allis-Chalmers
Farm Equipment dealer in January 1960, and
continued as such until closing the shop. The
years from 1961 through 1964 were the best
years with the Allis-Chalmers line, with the
main machinery sales in the tractor, mower,
rake and Allis-Chalmers Roto Baler field.
The trade area included Cherry, Thomas,
Grant, and Hooker Counties, as well as parts
of Sheridan, Garden and McPherson Coun-
ties.

In 1963 the original building was enlarged,
doubling the work area, and the lot to the east
along Highway 2 was leased from Owen
Moran for a display area.

In the mid 1960's we became a sub-distri-
butor for Goodyear tires and later obtained
a full T.B.A. distributorship with Continen-
tal Oil Co. for tires, batteries, and automotive
parts, selling both wholesale and retail. With
the change of emphasis within the business,
the name was changed to Phillips Tire and
Service. At this time, a large part of the shop
business was wheel alignment and the re-
placement of brake and front end suspension
parts as well as general car, truck and tractor
repairs. Tires and batteries constituted the
major sales item. In addition to the regular
customers, sales were made to other dealers,
the Hooker and Cherry County Road Depart-
ment, the local school district, the local
sheriff department, and the Nebraska Safety
Patrol.

Some of the employees over the years of
operation were: Pete Schoene, Norman Mei-
dell, Robert Macke, Tom Benner, Russell
Simonson, Bob Maire and Glen Garner.

In the early 1970's, Lynn and Joellen
purchased the Clarence Phillips ranch and
cattle, which was located 12 miles north of
Mullen. They also assumed the physical
operation of Joellen's parents ranch north of
Thedford due to the failing health of Mr. and
Mrs. Roy Loudon. The demands of the two
ranches left little time for the shop, and the
operation of the business was left in the
hands of the employees until the closing in
1972. The building was later sold to Mr. and
Mrs. Glen Milander.