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Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from across the tri-state area. In addition to this update from Dubuque, we will share other developments in Tuesday’s edition.
A family-owned Dubuque automobile dealership marked a milestone anniversary this month.
Anderson-Weber Toyota, 3450 Center Grove Drive, recently celebrated its 70th anniversary of business in Dubuque. The business includes a car dealership, auto shop and body shop.
Sales Manager Shane Burtzlaff is among the fourth generation of the Weber family to work for the business. His dad and uncle — Tim and Jeff Weber — own the business. Burtzlaff’s brother Devon Weber and cousins Alex and Taylor Weber also are among the dealership’s workforce, which totals about 55 people.
“Our dad and uncle show up every day,” Burtzlaff said of key factors to the business’ success. “They’re involved in the day-to-day operation of what we do. We also have a very tenured staff, a lot of employees with many, many years of experience. Most importantly, it’s how we treat people, our customers and our employees.”
Burtzlaff said Anderson-Weber was started in 1952 as a Lincoln Mercury dealership by his great-grandfather Les Weber and Bob Anderson. A while later, the pair decided to bring Toyota vehicles to Dubuque.
“They had to drive to Chicago to pick up three or four Toyotas,” Burtzlaff said. “That was kind of a gamble at that point. It was an import brand. But the rest is history.”
He added that Anderson-Weber had two downtown Dubuque locations before moving to its current site in the late 1990s.
Over the years, Burtzlaff said, Anderson-Weber has prioritized being involved in the community, including by highlighting customers’ other businesses and nonprofit organizations.
“The resounding theme that I hear when I heard my dad, grandpa and uncle talk (about Dubuque) is it’s a great place to live and a great place to do business,” he said. “Dubuque is a very unique community.”
Anderson-Weber Toyota can be reached at 563-556-3281. The dealership is open from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.