Burns Garage owners look to complete final piece of expansion, the showroom, in 2010 to mark 100 years of operation in Harney County

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

Burns Garage celebrated the completion of the second phase of their expansion project with a grand opening on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 7-8.

The new 15,000 square-foot state-of-the-art service center is completed, and the Baxter Auto Parts Store is now in the space, which the service center used to occupy.

Owners Ted Marshall III and Jim Gibbon have now turned their attention to the third, and final phase of the expansion — a new showroom.

Along with new vehicles, the new showroom will feature a number of vintage vehicles and Ford memorabilia.

Burns Garage was founded in 1910 by Archie McGowan, and Marshall said he was contacted by McGowan’s grandson who wanted to donate a number of items to the showroom. “He said he had some old books and all kinds of stuff to donate,” Marshall said. “He was excited to do it, and it will make it kind of a museum as well as a showroom.”

A portion of the walls in the new showroom will be covered with barn wood from Silvies Valley, setting up different vignettes for the vehicles.

Burns Garage began the expansion project in May 2008 and plan to have it completed in 2010 for their 100th year anniversary.