Loewen Body Shop builds new facility

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/05/2023 (728 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Loewen Body Shop will be moving operations later this year, but will remain in Steinbach.

“We’ve been running out of space where we are. We tried to enlarge where we are. There’s a restaurant next door that was not interested in selling. We do own a house in the back, but there is an alley in between which is not good for us. We have to replace some equipment inside, which would make us down for a couple of months, which is not good. So we got to the point where we said, ‘No, we have to relocate’,” said owner Mark Loewen.

The new shop will sit on four acres and be located on Highway 52 east of Birchwood Funeral Chapel .

“Technically we’re still on Main Street it’s just Main Street out of town,” he said.

The new location will have a shop space of 13,000 sq. ft. with six additional suites for office space. Loewen hopes to be in the new building by the end of the year as long as necessary equipment arrives on schedule.

New employees will be hired at the new location over time.

“We found some good people so we hired them on. We’ll ease into the new place. Can’t just one day have 50 percent more people. Added two people in the meantime,” he said.

“I think we’re going to be more suited to serve our customers better. We hope that we can get them in and out quicker, better parking…We just think the experience will be better overall for the customer.”

Loewen said their current location has been sold to Reimer Agencies, a local real estate company.

Established in 1937 by Isaac Loewen in Carman, Manitoba, the shop relocated two years later to Steinbach. Isaac’s son Albert took over the family business several years later until he handed over the reins to his son Mark in 1991. Now, Mark’s sons Josh and Jesse are involved in the management of the business employing 13 people.

“Have we gotten bigger and bigger? We started in 1937 in a barn by my grandfather. My sons have taken over now and they’re fourth generation. I suspect we’ll keep getting bigger,” said Loewen.