Native enterprise logs in 88 years of enjoyable on the truthful this yr | Information, Sports activities, Jobs

Among the oldest exhibitors on the Canfield Fair is Myers Equipment of Canfield, which dates again 88 years when it was shaped and first appeared on the fairgrounds.

“In 1937 my great-grandfather Paul E. Myers incorporated Myers Equipment,” mentioned Brad Myers. “He was a truck dealer and sold trucks and chassis.”

He mentioned Paul E. additionally introduced an exhibit to the truthful that yr and has been displaying there ever since.

The Myers Equipment show began out on the hill subsequent to the Commercial Building. After a number of years, the truthful expanded, and Brad mentioned his grandfather’s exhibit was moved slightly additional south. The truthful once more moved the exhibit to the current location on the nook of Beaver and Bishop drives.

Standing among the many 1990 Canfield Fair show of ambulances is David Myers along with his daughter Branda, representing the second and third era of Myers fairgoers and exhibitors. (Photo courtesy of Paul and Brad Myers)

“When the first exhibit was displayed you parked inside the fairgrounds,” grandson Paul Myers mentioned. “Then the fair moved the cars to parking lots outside the fair.”

The Myers Equipment show continued to characteristic the vans and chassis because the enterprise expanded into different areas. It has grow to be a frontrunner within the faculty bus market and gives high quality ambulances in addition to snow removing tools. The enterprise additionally has the one “bus crusher” in Ohio for buses which can be prepared for recycling.

As time went on, the enterprise handed to David Myers, then to Craig Myers, and is now run by the fourth era of Myers in Paul and Brad. Paul handles the college buses and Brad has cost of the truck division. Their father Craig serves as CEO and is a good board director for the Canfield Fair.

Brad mentioned the truthful has been and continues to be an essential a part of the Myers household’s finish of summer season. Grandfather David, 96, didn’t make the truthful final yr, lacking the primary truthful of his life in line with Brad.

“Our whole family is heavily rooted in the fair,” Brad mentioned. “Our kids are in the 4-H program.”

Myers’ truthful exhibit isn’t at all times new as is obvious on this Eighties trailer containing a used engine and plow. (Photo courtesy of Paul and Brad Myers)

He mentioned David nonetheless has round 25 broodmares on his farm and the grandkids present ponies out of that herd.

Paul’s youngsters embrace Carson, 16, Alexa, 15, and Aubree, 11. All three are members of the Jackson-Milton Livestock 4-H Club. Carson additionally works on the household enterprise as a technician in the course of the summer season months.

Brad’s youngsters embrace Lance, 17, Kathryn, 10, William, 7, Nora, 6, and David, 4. Lance exhibits dairy cows and is in 4-H. The remaining 4 youngsters present open class ponies.

“I purchased a camper just for the fair,” Brad mentioned. “With such involvement from my children, it’s easier to stay on the fairgrounds, so the camper comes out once a year for about 10 days.”

Paul mentioned the youngsters would be the fifth era and a few will possible be closely concerned within the enterprise in a couple of years.

An exhibitor since 1937, Myers Equipment brings a wide range of bus, truck and tools to exhibit in the course of the annual Canfield Fair. Pictured right here within the Eighties is a show of buses together with the notorious Salem City trolley bus. (Photo courtesy of Paul and Brad Myers)

For now, the Myers household will proceed to placed on the exhibit that includes one faculty bus, one ambulance, a industrial bus or van, and varied vans and tools.

“We don’t really have sales at the fair,” Paul mentioned. “It is more of a referral through what we are showing.”

He mentioned after the truthful is after they have gross sales stemming from the occasion.

Taking out the pandemic yr when the truthful was solely a closed junior truthful, Myers has been exhibiting on the notorious “Machinery Row” a.ok.a. “Tractor Alley” on the fairgrounds for 88 years. That makes the native enterprise among the many prime, if not the highest longest-running, family-owned tools exhibitor within the Canfield Fair.

During the 1998 Canfield Fair, Myers Equipment constructed a backyard show to focus on their exhibit on the nook of Beaver and Bishop drives on the fairgrounds. (Photo courtesy of Paul and Brad Myers)

Paul E. Myers, 1897-1982, integrated his truck and chassis enterprise in 1937 and positioned an exhibit on the Canfield Fair. The enterprise continues in the present day to current the newest in bus, van, plows and truck tools, lacking solely 2020 when no grownup truthful was held. (Photo courtesy of Paul and Brad Myers)