Service Motor history

Originally called the Electrical and Mechanical Service Company, E.M. Service was established in 1918.

With the modest start in 1922 of 16 new Chevys, Minnesota Motor Company was on its way to becoming the number one dealership in the area.

General Motors Corporation, in 1938, broke ground for their new Turnstead division in Ewing, NJ. Lockwood’s at that time became an electrical contractor and did many of the original installations for the electrical systems and machinery.

James E. Dey, Sr., was the Electrical Superintendent at the John A. Roebling Steel facility, joined the Lockwood organization in 1944.

In 1949, the shop expanded the machine shop and Winding Room, along with a stock room and office building located on Nottingham Way.

In 1952, Lockwood’s became a corporation, George R. Lockwood was named President, and James E. Dey Sr. was named Vice President and Shop Superintendent.

R&N Motor Company first opened its garage doors in 1958 in Sanford, NC. John Rosser and Caldwell Norris were working for the local Ford Dealership at the time when they decided to become partners and open the auto repair and maintenance shop.

When Mars Brimhall passed away in 1959, his two sons, Richard (Dick) and Bradford continued to run the family business.

E.M. Service experienced steady growth through the post-war years, and in the 1970’s the building was enlarged twice to add space for a major inventory expansion and the addition of a motor control line.

At that time, 1974, the Corporation consisted of seven employees, which has grown to over 30 employees currently, and is still to this day expanding.

Accord was the first model from a Japanese automaker to be made in America, beginning in November 1982 in Marysville, Ohio, with cumulative United States production of Accord exceeding 11 million vehicles over more than 35 years.

In 1995, a building expansion and remodeling project was completed at that site.

The 2002 Civic Hybrid became our first mass-produced automobile to apply gasoline-electric powertrain technology.

In 2003, Minnesota Motor Company completed an expansion and remodeling project incorporating the lot and building to the south of the existing property.

The 2006 Honda Civic and 2006 Honda Ridgeline Truck sweep the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards as selected by a panel of automotive journalists in North America.

Honda breaks new ground introducing the 2009 FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle.

Recently, the sales and service building was remodeled for a third time and finished in 2013.

The 2016 Honda Civic is selected as the North American Car of the Year by a panel of automotive journalists.

The 2017 Honda Ridgeline, the second generation of Honda's innovative, one-of-a-kind pickup truck with innovations such as the In-Bed Trunk and world's first Truck Bed Audio System was chosen by a panel of expert automotive journalists as the 2017 North America Truck of the Year.

The 2018 Honda Accord, the 10th generation of America's most popular car, earned the prestigious 2018 North American Car of the Year award.