New owners promise same friendly service

As Ross and Deb Nemitz retire, the Pingels take over

Generations of Fort Dodge area families have purchased their washers, dryers, stoves and refrigerators from Ross' Appliance Center.

New local owners of the downtown store plan on serving future generations of area families.

After 40 years of owning the business, Ross and Deb Nemitz recently sold it to TJ and Melanie Pingel.

The Pingels took ownership on Aug. 31.

The Pingels said they are committed to preserving the friendly "ma and pa environment" that Ross and Deb Nemitz perfected at the store.

"We don't want to lose that human feel," TJ Pingel said.

He said they want to make the transition as seamless and easy for the customers as possible.

"What matters is taking care of the customers and that's something I'm very comfortable with," TJ Pingel said.

The business at 524 Central Ave. will continue to be called Ross' Appliance Center.

Online ordering is the biggest change the Pingels will be making.

Ross and Deb Nemitz will be sticking around for awhile to help. But Ross Nemitz said the Pingels are learning the business so quickly that he and his wife won't need to be around too long.

Ross and Deb Nemitz wanted to retire, but they did not want to sell everything and close the business for good. They believed someone already in the appliance business would want it.

It was a repair job at the Pingel house in Fort Dodge that led to the sale.

A technician from Ross' Appliance Center was working on something there and while talking to Melanie Pingel, he revealed that Ross and Deb Nemitz wanted to retire.

TJ Pingel had been general manager of the former Shimkat Motor Co.. and he had moved on to a banking job. But he still held the desire to get into the car dealership business.

Melanie Pingel suggested he explore the appliance business opportunity.

"What about doing that instead of a car dealership," she asked.

They then did three months worth of research into the appliance business. TJ Pingel liked what he learned

"This would be something that would make me more fulfilled and happier," he said.

The Pingels and the Nemitzes met and a deal was made.

"We found home," TJ Pingel said.

Ross' Appliance Center was established on Aug. 17, 1976, at its current location, which was originally built for Montgomery Ward.

Ross Nemitz said the business has succeeded for 40 years because of "a lot of good people working for us and a lot of good people out there supporting us."