Reporter for The Canyon Weekly
Lyons residents may have noticed an empty block downtown as Santiam Wrecker Sales makes room for a new 8,500-square-foot shop on Main Street.
The former headquarters of sister company Santiam Towing & Recovery at 611 Main St., was torn down at the end of September, as well as adjacent lots on the block.
Property owner Mike Wagner said the new building will include office space and a four-bay shop for the construction of tow trucks. He said Santiam Towing & Recovery, which he also owns, will relocate to a different commercial space downtown.
Wagner said in his 37 years living in the city he cannot think of a larger business expansion outside of a lumber mill.
“We like being able to do business in Lyons,” said Wagner. “I live in Lyons so it’s nice to be part of some growth here and I think it’s going to be a positive thing for everyone involved.”
Santiam Wrecker Sales started out as Santiam Enterprises, a company Wagner founded in 1985 to build Jerr-Dan tow truck equipment. In July of 2022, the company was bought by Utah-based Rocky Mountain Wrecker Sales and rebranded as Santiam Wrecker Sales.
Wagner said the merger has brought access to new resources and the company has grown quickly. Sales are up 30 percent, he said, and they have hired two new employees, and expect to hire one more after the new building is completed.
Wagner said the 1,100-square-foot building on Main Street started feeling a bit cramped, and both Santiam Wrecker Sales and Santiam Towing & Recovery had to operate out of multiple locations.
On April 4, the Lyons Planning Commission approved a property line adjustment allowing the project to move forward. It combine all lots on the block into one lot.
The city also required Wagner to submit a partition plan to the Linn County Surveyor and a final plat to the city, and noted ODOT will require new sidewalks on Sixth Streeet and Highway 266.
Wagner said the city has been great to work with in making the needed changes. Though he is a member of the Lyons City Council, Wagner said the proposed building had to comply with all existing code requirements.
Wagner said construction may begin in January and he expects the new building will be a nice addition to downtown.
“It’s exciting to be growing,” he said. “ … This is a new chapter for Santiam Wrecker Sales.”
