Harley dealership celebrates 100th anniversary
A.D. Farrow Co. Harley-Davidson in Ohio marked its 100th anniversary Sunday, with more celebrations to come this summer.
Alfred D. Farrow founded the dealership on Feb. 26, 1912 in Nelsonville, Ohio. Farrow helped establish the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. before opening his store. He and his wife Lillian ran the dealership and moved it to Columbus in 1924. The dealership then moved around Columbus a few times until 1941, when it moved to its current location at 491 W. Broad St. The company has now blossomed into a family of dealerships, adding locations in Pataskala and Sunbury, Ohio. The Shop at NorthStar in Sunbury has an 18-acre site with a 32,000-square-foot facility.
A.D. Farrow Co. Harley-Davidson was owned by the Farrow family until 1983, when Pat and Al Doerman purchased it. Current principal Bob Althoff and his wife Valerie bought the dealership in 2002, and the dealership family shows no signs of slowing down, as it sold more motorcycles in the past eight years than it did in the previous 92 years combined.
The dealership is known for its community service, supporting the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and organizing a Thunder Tunnel, in which motorcyclists gather along the race route to rev their engines in support of the participants. The dealership also hosts an annual Ohio Fallen Heroes Motorcycle Ride and Rally, honoring soldiers who have lost their lives in the war on terror, and it offers Rider’s Edge Safety Courses to Lima County Marines. Because of these efforts, A.D. Farrow Co. has earned the Conway Family Business Center Community Engagement Award.
“We sometimes lead, sometimes follow, but always are the glue as our big hearted and generous motorcyclists step up to support yet another worthwhile cause,” Bob Althoff said.
The company celebrated with a Save the Date Party Sunday, which served as a reminder of a series of larger events scheduled for June 13-23. To learn more about the history of the company,click here.
