A long-established Harley-Davidson dealership has begun searching for a new owner.
After 74 years, the family-owned company decided it was time for a change.
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The 33,000-square-foot Harley-Davidson Sports Center in Hermantown, Minn., has been an institution in the Duluth suburb for decades.
Filled with historical photos, classic bikes and Harley-Davidson memorabilia, the Harley-Davidson Sports Center is as much a museum as it is a bike shop.
Richard Kachelmeyer purchased what later became Harley-Davidson Sports Center in 1951, and the company has remained family-owned ever since.
Now they say it's time for a new owner.
Read more about Harley Davids
Richard's son Dennis has run the store with his wife Susan since 1997, after his mother died.
One of the bikes on display in the shop, a blue 1946 FL Knucklehead with a red sidecar, was Richard's personal vehicle.
“I grew up in that red sidecar,” Dennis told Northern News Now.
“Before 1968, my father didn’t have a car to drive.”
Dennis, now in his 70s, has worked at the store since the 1960s.
A black-and-white photo posted on Facebook shows Dennis painting the storefront as a child in 1966.
The store was originally located on the shores of Lake Superior, before the Cashelmers moved approximately seven miles inland.
Dennis and Susan announced in a Facebook post in December that the store would be closing permanently.
However, the store was put up for sale this week.
Despite their decision to wind down the business, the couple announced they would fill existing orders, honor gift cards, and liquidate remaining inventory.
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Hundreds of customers, former employees and Hermantown residents expressed their gratitude to the family business on Facebook.
“This is bad news for the biker community. Good luck to all the employees affected by this. Hopefully someone will come along and buy this business out for us owners. We have no other option close to us for our bikes,” one shopper wrote.
“Thank you for my many motorcycles and 73 years of unforgettable memories!” Another fan commented:
Another wrote: “Too bad, so many memories from this place, great service and great people.”
“Good luck to you all, we will miss you.”
Sport Center's ownership change follows a trend of Harley-Davidson dealer sales and closings.
Earlier this year, a car dealership in Topeka, Kansas, changed owners after 75 years of ownership by the same family.
In December 2024, the Rock Hill, South Carolina, dealership was sold by the family that had owned the store since 1961.
For family-owned businesses facing economic hardship — like the Hermantown location — the decision to sell is not an easy one.
“We are saddened to respond to these difficult economic times as we face the difficult decision to close our doors and end our business,” Dennis and Susan said in a Facebook post.
“It has been a true honor to be a part of so many lives, and to share the excitement behind the handlebars of our Harleys!”
The community expressed hopes online that the company would continue to fulfill its motorcycle needs in the hands of its new owners.
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