Customer care is nothing new at Laird
Noller. We've been locally owned for 3
generations and in business for 60 years.
As the Noller Automotive Group of dealerships continues to grow,
it is sometimes easy to forget how it all started. In 1960, O.
Willard Noller, our founder, purchased the Ford dealership, then
known as Mosby-Mack Motor Company, in Topeka. He renamed it Noller
Motors, Inc.
Our original dealership was located in downtown Topeka at 7th
and Van Buren.
Willard Noller began his automotive career in the 1930's, first
selling and eventually moving his way through all management positions
with Mosby-Mack. He purchased the Ford franchise from then dealer,
Herb Mack, in 1960.
The new Noller Motors soon outgrew it's downtown location and
Willard Noller purchased a large tract of land at 21st and Topeka
Boulevard. He built the most modern facility in Topeka's automotive
history at the time. Since then, the company has expanded to cover
3 great locations. |
Willard Noller was one of the most innovative
dealers of his time. He added a separate used car facility, a rarity
then. He put in Topeka's first automobile finance and insurance
department. He also had a mobile repair unit that would fix or maintain
a customer's Ford right there in their driveway. Now, that was convenience!
Willard Noller was perhaps best known for his fairness
and handshake deals with customers. He often gave customers new
Fords if something went wrong with a recent purchase.
Those people never forgot their fair dealings with Noller Motors
and passed on the story from generation to generation. This was
the beginning of our current customer base of over 16,000 people.
In 1970, O. Willard Noller was honored by Time Magazine as the
greatest car dealer of the year for the entire nation. In awarding
him the Time Magazine Dealer of the Year Award, they noted his
philanthropy, community leadership, citizenship and business prowess.
Willard Noller retired in 1974, selling Noller Motors to his
son, Laird. Laird Noller expanded the dealership's business, winning
several awards as one of the top Ford dealerships in the nation.
He is now the President of Noller Automotive Group which operates
six automobile dealerships in Kansas.
Steve Noller became President in 1993, becoming the third generation
Noller in the Topeka Ford dealership.
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