Andre & Son Inc.

A Brief History


The Andre business traces its beginnings back to 1914. Floyd Andre was raised on a farm between Forest Lake and Fairdale. His father also operated a small gristmill powered by the water flowing from Forest Lake. Floyd married and moved into Montrose where he labored for several years in a machine shop, operating a metal planer. Adjacent to the machine shop, James Jeffers owned a gristmill on the corner of Mill and Cherry Streets, and in 1914, Floyd and William Sweet leased the mill and began the company of Andre & Sweet. The mill and much of the block burned in 1916, but the mill was promptly rebuilt. In 1924, the partners bought the real estate from Mr. Jeffers, but unfortunately, soon afterwards, Mr. Sweet was killed in an automobile accident west of Montrose on route 706, towards Fairdale. In 1931, Floyd’s son, DeWitt, purchased Mrs. Sweet’s partnership interest, and the firm became Andre & Son. Floyd remained active in the business until his death in 1952..

The Jeffers Mill (prior to the fire of 1916)

DeWitt managed the company by himself until his three sons, Neil, Dave, and Joe, completed their education and military services and joined the business between 1958 and 1965. Their involvement permitted the expansion of the milling and farm store functions and the beginning of aggressive lime and fertilizer activities. The facilities in town were enlarged and those along route 706, east of town, were created. Also, the business became incorporated, thus the name change to Andre & Son, Inc

In the early 1990’s, three members of the fourth generation of the family, Scott, Mark, and Steve, joined the firm. Growth and change of the company continued, including the development of a substantial commercial turf business, and , most recently, the addition of the Power Sports segment, featuring Can-Am ATV's, Ski-Doo snowmobiles and our most recently added dealership Suzuki.

Andre & Son, Inc. remains as a locally owned, family operated enterprise. As such, it has the very unusual distinction of being a fourth generation, non-farm business. The family is proud of the heritage of the business and recognizes that the present-day Andre & Son, Inc. would not exist, were it not for the dedicated and sincere efforts of all its past and current employees and customers.