About

In 1984, the Aztec Chamber of Commerce invented a new award, the 50-Year's in  Business Award, just for Jim Dusenbery. Dusenbery’s has been family owned and operated for 81 years.

How Dusenbery’s Got Started

Brothers Jim and Jess Dusenbery started in business on November 1, 1934, opening the original Court Service Station on Chaco and Mesa Verde. In 1937 Jim Dusenbery started a new buisness, Valley Service Station at the Current location. Jim sold his first Studebaker in 1939 a first of many. Durinng the war years, no cars or trucks were being made. In  1946 after the War Jim started selling  Studebakers again. Bud Hancock came on board to help in the new car sales department. Jim, Bud, and other employees used to  traveled over Wolf Creek Pass to Walsenburg, Colorado to pick up Studebakers at the Rail head and drive them back to Aztec. Jim always claimed that the 1950 Studebaker Land Cruiser was the best car built for traveling over Wolf Creek Pass in the winter.

 From  1950 to 1952 Jim began selling Hudsons, bought through the Barbicovi Motor Company in Walsenburg, CO. In 1951 Valley Service was considered the “Top Dealer in the Omaha District” for Studebaker truck sales. At this time, they were also selling Philco and Maytag appliances and radios. In 1952, the Hudson business was sold to Gene Stewart.

In 1964, Studebaker went out of business.  In 1965 Jim decided to sell Datsun cars and trucks and changing the business name to Valley Datsun. Bud was now partners with Jim on the Datsun franchise.  They trailered or drove the cars back to Aztec from the docks of Los Angeles, California. In  about 1975, Jim bought out Bud Hancock’s part of the Datsun franchise, with the help of his sons Bob, Bill and Benj they continued running Dusenbery's. Jim continued working at the store until he passed in 1987

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Jims sons, Bob and Bill have always worked in the family business, except for the time when they were away at college. In 1982 Dusenbery's started to buy auto parts from the American Parts System also now known as Big A Auto parts out of Albuquerque. In 1984, the downstairs of the front part of the garage was enclosed for a new car showroom. In 1985, Datsun began the name change to Nissan, at which time the original building got a face-lift with additions to the front and back.

 In the Late 80's  Bob’s boys, Jimmy and Kent joined the family business. In 1999, Dusenbery’s switched from Big A Auto Parts to CarQuest Auto Parts. They also added Big Tex, Pace American, Look, Aluma and Wells Cargo Trailers to their product line, and a few years later a complete line of Can-Am ATVs & Side-by-Sides.

Bob, Jimmy, Kent Dusenbery, Roy Flanagen and Sheri Tharp maintain the parts operation. Bill and Jimmy Dusenbery handle the Can-Am sales an Service. Dennis Hamilton keep everything running in the Automotive Service Department. Dusenbery is a small operation by intention. This has advantages and disadvantages, but a small operation has a better handle on what’s going on and personalized service results in higher customer satisfaction.  In a rapidly changing industry, Dusenbery’s has tried to maintain an honest and up-front approach to their sales, and have not resorted to the razzle dazzle of big city practices. Serving customers in all four states in the Four Corners region, we’ll take care of you first. Having an important franchise in a very small town is not always easy, but customer loyalty has supported them through the years. “We feel that if we take care of our customers and our community, they will take care of us.”