About
In order to understand the history of St. Croix Harley-Davidson® completely, you have to follow two storylines: a motorcycle dealership with humble beginnings and the path of Dell Zehm, a local Harley® enthusiast who enjoyed working for the railroad and always loved the sport of riding.
In 1967, Dale Hansen started selling Harley-Davidson®'s lightweight line as Hansen's Sales & Service out of his home in Cylon, WI. It did not take long for the business to outgrow Dale's garage, so Dale moved to downtown New Richmond, WI in 1969. Hansen's Sale & Service became a one-stop shop where, in addition to the full Harley-Davidson® line, you could purchase a Honda, snowmobile, chainsaw or even a handgun. In 1978, Dale sold the dealership to the Follet family, and they renamed the dealership "St. Croix Sales & Service". After deciding to relocate to a warmer climate, Bob Follet put the dealership up for sale.
Concurrently, in 1966, Wisconsin native Dell Zehm was working for the CB & Q railroad in Chicago. By 1970, he relocated back to St. Paul, and then in 1984, the railroad wanted to relocate Dell to Texas. While contemplating if he wanted to become a Texan or if he should look for a new path in life, Dell contacted Joe Apol of Apol's Harley-Davidson® in Raymond, MN, where Dell had stopped on his way to Sturgis every year since 1972. Dell asked Joe what he thought about being a part of the H-D® family. The choice was clear. Dell decided he would make a better Harley-Davidson® dealer than he would a Texan, and he purchased St. Croix Sales & Service in 1984. Not too long after that it was decided that St. Croix Harley-Davidson® was a more fitting name and St. Croix Sales & Service went through one final name change. After about 2 years under Dell's leadership, the dealership outgrew its downtown location, so Dell moved it to where it stands today.
