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Family-owned
and Independent, Brasher’s Salt
Lake
Auto
Auction Marks 60th Year
Brasher's Salt Lake Auto Auction marked its
60th anniversary on August 17th and 18th with a two-day event that broke
records and brought dealers in droves to celebrate with the Brasher
family.
"It was a phenomenal two days in Salt
Lake," said auction GM Rob Brasher. "From a sales perspective it
was outstanding: we consigned 2,131 vehicles; sold 1,296; and issued 1,332
bidder badges. But numbers don't tell the whole story. What made this
celebration so successful in our eyes was the enthusiasm of our customers
who joined us for this red-letter historic event: 60 years in the
business. It wouldn't have been possible without the loyalty and support
of the best group of auction customers that you'll find
anywhere!"
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Brasher's Salt Lake Auto Auction marked its 60th Anniversary
with a special two-day sale on August 18. Dealers packed
the lanes, purchased nearly 1,300 vehicles, and eagerly
awaited the results of the $50,000 in prize drawings, which
included ATV's, stag hunts at Heartland Ranch, and a
motorcycle. Yuri Morales with EZ Auto Sales (left) won one
of the ATV's; Lyle Solt from All Play Motor Sports (right) rode
away on the motorcycle.
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The Brashers treated buyers and sellers to a
home cooked barbecue dinner on Monday night, when guests consumed 100
racks of ribs, 80 lbs. of pulled pork, and 80 lbs of beef brisket,
prepared that day at the auction by Brasher's staff. Concluding the sale
on Tuesday, the auction awarded more than $50,000 in prizes, including a
motorcycle, two ATV's and five stag hunts at the Heartland Ranch in
Missouri.
Brasher's Salt Lake Auto Auction was opened by
Frank and Esther Brasher in 1949. Originally a barber, Frank decided the
auction business was a better bet after attending several auctions in the
East, and began a family-owned business that is one of the oldest
established auto auctions in the West. Just 13 cars crossed the block at
the first sale in October of 1949, and only one sold: the result of an
offer made after the sale. Since then, the Salt Lake Auto auction has
moved three times from its original 2-1/2 acres and today occupies 75
acres near Salt Lake City Airport.
The Salt Lake Auto Auction was one of the
first to offer dealer floor planning, which Frank introduced in the 1950s.
Full reconditioning was offered in the 1950s and transport service by an
auction-owned fleet began in the 1960s. Frank recognized the significance
of the fleet and lease business and began selling cars for ARI in the
1950s. Salt Lake Auto Auction was also among the first auctions in the
country to host sales for Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler in the
1960s.
Recent times have seen the construction of an
additional reconditioning facility at Brasher's. Wireless access has been
added to facilitate the electronic condition report system. The auction
has also introduced an online auction system (AuctionPipeline) that
reaches dealers all over the nation, and has recently introduced a weekly
Open Book sale that is proving popular with auto dealers.
The auction continues to be family owned and
operated, headed by Frank and Esther's oldest son Jay, grandson Rob, and
grandsons-in-law Don Rowley and Ty Brewer. Grandsons-in-law Justin Booth
and John McPhie oversee Human Resources and Financing respectively..
Brasher’s
Salt Lake Auto Auction features consignment from Ford Credit every
Tuesday at 9:00 am, and holds a monthly Ford Factory Sale on scheduled
Wednesdays at 10:00 am. The
auction is a member of ServNet and played a central role in founding
the Auction Pipeline, where customers may view detailed condition
reports, market report information and participate in online sales.
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