“Junkyard USA” listed for sale

French Lake Auto Parts, billed as “Junkyard USA”, is looking for a buyer. The 53-year-old business located in Annandale, Minnesota, has been listed by a local realtor. In the meantime, it continues to operate.

French Lake was started in 1956 by Floyd Nolan and a partner. Nolan bought his partner’s interest in the business a year later and it has remained a family enterprise since then. Nolan and his wife had five sons and two daughters involved in the business.

When featured by Old Cars Weekly in 2004, French Lake attracted a huge walk-in business specializing in cars and trucks and related parts from the Teens through the current year. At that time, it was attracting 300 to 400 walk-in customers each Saturday and 650 incoming telephone calls a day; 25 percent of the calls from people seeking collector parts.

Oak Realty is handling the sale of French Lake Auto Parts as a turnkey operation to include land, buildings, the business, inventory and equipment. In the listing are 84 acres, over 6,000 vehicles, an inventory of antique parts and late model parts, a large section of used cars, trucks, SUVs and classic cars.

Skip Nolan, manager, told Old Cars Weekly that the family is hoping the business continues as usual under a new owner. “Our big concern is that we would like a ‘real car guy’ get it and not let it get in the hands of someone looking at it as all ‘just iron and $$ signs’… that way it can help supply the hobby for another 53 years.”

For more information contact Oak Realty at 320-274-5737 or go to www.oakrealtymn.com