RAVENNA, Ohio — David Daywalt had been a customer of the Ravenna tractor dealership Coia Sales for around three decades when the owner, Joe Coia, approached him with an intriguing offer.
Coia was experiencing health problems and needed to pass his business on to someone else, but none of his children were interested in following in his footsteps. Would Daywalt consider buying the full-service Kubota dealership?
“I bought most of my equipment from them and bought all of my parts and supplies, and did all of my service work there,” he said.
Daywalt is a farmer and a serial entrepreneur, having owned and operated multiple businesses in his lifetime. He largely retired in 2015, dedicating himself to farming full-time.
However, the opportunity to own a business he had patronized for the better part of his adult life proved too enticing to pass on. He compared the dealership’s showroom to a toy store for grown men.
“I love construction, I love farm equipment, I love to farm,” he said. “Of all the different businesses I’ve been in, this is one of the more exciting ones.”
Growing up and out
When Daywalt bought Coia in 2020, it was in Ravenna, but it was located in a residential area, and thus its growth was limited because it was effectively boxed in by the homes in the surrounding neighborhood.
So, in 2021, Daywalt moved it to its current location in Rootstown, which sits a short drive from Ravenna, an exurb of Cleveland and Akron.
The old space was too limiting, Daywalt said.
“They didn’t sell larger equipment,” he said.
The rural setting of Rootstown, on the other hand, provided ample space to store and display the bigger vehicles Daywalt wanted to sell. The new location is 27,000 square feet, plus a secondary 12,000-square-foot storage building.
“Now that we have the new facility, we can sell the larger tractors and hay equipment,” Daywalt said.
Adding on
The Coia family founded the dealership in the 1980s and it became a Kubota dealership in the 1990s. The business also sells vehicles and equipment from other brands such as STIHL and Land Pride. Cities and towns, construction companies and even colleges are among the dealership’s customers, Daywalt said.
Last fall, Coia Sales acquired KTS Equipment in Wellington, Ohio, bringing on a strong base of construction equipment customers and expertise, further expanding Coia Sales’ ability to support contractors and construction projects across northern Ohio.
It also expanded the company’s geographic reach. The Rootstown location continues to serve customers in Portage, Summit and Stark counties, while the Wellington location expands coverage throughout Lorain, Medina, Huron, Ashland, and Erie counties, with additional service reach into surrounding areas.
Final hurrah
When it came time for Daywalt to take the reins, he felt qualified because of his business background and his familiarity with the dealership’s products.
“Having the knowledge and understanding of the equipment is huge in this industry,” he said.
The lifelong entrepreneur has owned everything from a certified public accounting firm to a traffic control company. The tractor dealership seems an appropriate finale to a lifetime spent owning businesses and farming cattle, Daywalt said.
“This is my final hurrah,” he said.
About
Coia Sales Ravenna is located at 4393 Lynn Road, Ravenna, Ohio. Contact them at 330-296-5280.
Coia Sales Wellington is located at 47117 Ohio 18, Wellington, Ohio. Contact them at 440-647-2015. For more information, visit coiasales.com
