NATCHEZ — A business that has had roots in Louisiana since the mid 1940s has now spread those roots into Mississippi.

Goldman Equipment opened the doors and rolled out the tractors at its Natchez location on John R. Junkin Drive this month.

The store is open 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. until noon on Saturday.

The company was founded in 1947 near Waterproof, La. by two cousins and now operates 11 equipment dealerships, including the Natchez location and a store in Ferriday at 503 Lake Drive.

Goldman Equipment bought Ferriday Farm Equipment in December. They also have Louisiana locations in Newellton, Lake Providence, Mer Rouge, Tallulah, Waterproof, Bossier City, Natchitoches, West Monroe and Jonesville.

Kevin Flattmann, sales manager for small agriculture, commercial and consumer equipment, said the company has been contemplating a move across the Mississippi River for sometime and felt Natchez was a community that had a need for the company’s products.

“We were looking at Vicksburg too, but Natchez was just better for us,” Flattmann said. “We fit in well here and have products that are a benefit for the community.”

Flattmann said plans for a Mississippi location were in the works before the company purchased its Ferriday location, but business at that location was encouraging.

“It has been excellent, wonderful,” he said.

Goldman Equipment offers John Deere equipment of all shapes and sizes to fit people of all shapes and sizes, Flattmann said. The company offers commercial and consumer products such as lawn tractors, compact tractors, utility tractors and the attachments for those machines

“From a push mower for a small lot homeowner to a large agricultural row crop farmer and everything in between — we have a product for them,” Flattmann said.

Flattmann said the company focuses just as much on the large farmer and it does its residential customers.

“It really and truly is about 50-50,” he said.

The company prides itself on providing quality service during all parts of the sell and even after. For that reason, Flattmann said the Goldman Equipment has a service department of qualified technicians trained to repair and service John Deere equipment.

Because the Natchez location is less than a month old, it doesn’t yet house its own service department, but Flattmann said.

Currently, the Ferriday location handles the service and repair job tickets for the Natchez store.

“You can drop the tractor off at the Natchez store and we have a transportation crew that will haul it to Ferriday for the service and bring it back to Natchez after,” Flattmann said.

But soon that will change. Flattmann said as the demand grows so will the company. He said one of the first things Goldman hopes to add is a service department in the Natchez location.

“With the support of the community, we really look to grow,” Flattmann said. “If we do grow, we will need more individuals in all departments.

“With the support of the community, I don’t see us going any where but up in Natchez.”