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Bixler's

(Est. 1931)

 

From the 2000 History of Moniteau County:

Bixler has been a familiar name in Moniteau County since 1931. Dan and Betty Bixler bought the Ed Dueber Grocery in Tipton that year, and in 1932 purchased the east portion of the A. P. Fitschen building from J. C. and Helen Hardy. Bill Bixler joined his brother in 1933, and together they operated grocery stores in California, Clarksburg, Tipton and Sedalia. They purchased the other portion of the Fitschen building, where the Carter family had a store for many years.

 

With the coming of electricity to rural areas, and the birth of "bottled gas" cooking and refrigeration, Bixler's decided that selling ranges and refrigerators would go hand-in-hand with groceries. In the late 30's they became a bottled gas dealer. World War II took many of the employees, including Bill, so they sold most of the grocery stores and turned all attention to appliances and propane gas. In 1946 they bought a delivery truck, some tanks (few were available as steel had also gone to war) and then a storage tank and loading facilities to have the gas shipped by rail tank car.

 

A son, Aubrey Bixler, was back from the Navy, and after a year at Missouri University, married Mary Warren, and joined the business. In 1952 Aubrey and Mary bought Baker Gas Company in Otterville. In 1964 Dan and Bill retired, with Aubrey and Mary operating the businesses in California, Tipton and Otterville. At this time the two portions of the Fitschen building were opened to make one large building, the present [2000] home of Bixler's in Tipton. The California store also sold furniture until 1984. That building was sold to the Eagles Club, and the present location was purchased from the Keil family. This building had housed Spieler Motors.

 

Dan, Betty and Bill built the Bixler Motel in Tipton in 1955, then sold it in 1970 to Thornton and Della Huff.

 

David Bixler, son of Aubrey and Mary, graduated from Missouri University in 1972, married Kathy Allee, and they have been in the store operations since that time. The stores serve approximately 2,500 gas customers in an area which included ten counties of Central Missouri. They retail propane gas, all types of major home appliances, and heating and air conditioning equipment.

 

As of 2018, the last Bixler's Appliance store has closed in Tipton.


 

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