In 1922, Roy Leggat left his family farm in Winona to pursue the future of transportation

Despite protests from his father, who had hoped he would take over the family farm, Roy’s mother gave him a loan, which he used to set up shop at his first dealership in Hamilton.

Roy sold Ruggles Trucks, and he and his family, including a young Doug Leggat and his two brothers, Don and Robert, lived in the apartment above the store. Every morning, the family dog would leave Doug’s bedside and join his father in the showroom as he got ready for the salespeople and customers to arrive. The showroom was heated by coal furnaces, and Roy’s morning routine included stoking the fires and warming up the room so it was comfortable for when his staff and customers arrived.

Doug Leggat and his brothers grew up in the automobile business, helped out around the dealership, and all inherited an entrepreneurial spirit from their father. According to Doug, nobody worked harder than Roy; nobody cared more than him about the business, the family, and the customer. It’s from him that the family learned how to treat staff, customers, and the community.