According to a recent post in the Sturgis Journal, it isn’t clear if John Deere dealers Fillmore Equipment and Finnerman’s Farm & Garden Equipment have merged or Fillmore acquired the Finnerman’s locations.

In any case, according to the Fillmore Equipment web site, the dealership now has 10 locations in Holland, Kent City, Hastings, Jenison, Eau Claire, Paw Paw, Three Rivers, Union and Athens, Mich., and Howe, Ind.

According to the Sturgis Journal, Finnerman Farm and Garden found itself on the outskirts of Centreville while Fillmore has a number of store locations in the southwest Michigan area. It made no sense to compete anymore.

“It’s one of those things, just a part of attrition really,” Doug Finnerman, store manager said. “We’d both been in business for 40 years or so and that’s a lot of successful knowledge and experience. It was good for both of us that we moved together rather than battle each other or go against each other anymore.”

The new establishment is located on 16700 Heimbach Road in Three Rivers, just north of town off of U.S. 131.

Finnerman said the location has helped.

“With U.S. 131 out here there’s a lot more traffic than what we were used to,”?he said. “It’s definitely been good on the lawn and garden side for the in-store traffic.”

Finnerman’s Lawn and Garden had been at its previous location since 1969.

During that time, the Finnermans built up a solid reputation of knowledge of farm equipment.