It has been 34 years since the “farm kid” Paul Caouette, first opened the doors of his implement dealership in a 600 square foot barn. His was the only business across the tracks on 46 Street.Caouette & Sons is the only locally owned farm dealership in St. Paul. “I guess I’m the last one standing from the peak of 7 farm equipment dealerships I used to compete against. I was very pleased when Tri-Ag moved into Town, it would have been bad for St. Paul & my business if we lost another dealer.” Paul has enjoyed overseeing the business his family has built from the ground up, but now his son Leo manages the family business.
At Caouette and Sons, some employees have been with the firm for many years. They keep current with the ever-changing agricultural industry by attending training schools sponsored by the machinery distributors and pride themselves at getting to know all their customers by name and selling machinery to the second generation of farmers, a lot of them who used to come in as youngsters with their fathers.