EAU CLAIRE — The truck dealership that has been a cornerstone of the borough celebrated its 75th anniversary on Wednesday.

Hunter Truck Sales, now headquartered in Butler, honored its history with a ceremony at its original location along Main Street in Eau Claire.

“We started right here in 1938,” said Nancy Mycka, one of four third generation owners of the company.

Mycka is a partial owner of the company alongside her cousins Jeff, Dave and Bill Hunter, all of whom are brothers.

The dealership offers truck sales, parts, service and repair, and leasing for tractor trailers.

“We're just like a car dealership,” Mycka said. “Except with trucks.”

Homer Hunter, the grandfather of the current ownership group, started the business as a small service shop.

Success caught on when International Harvester gave Hunter a franchise in 1950.

The company's growth continued as Peterbilt followed with its own license in 1983.

Today, the company has grown to include 19 locations across four states.

“We started with three employees. Now we have 772,” said Jeff Hunter.

While the business has bloomed into one of the largest Peterbilt dealerships in the country, its roots will forever be in Butler County.

“We've all lived in Butler County our whole lives,” Mycka said. “It's home to us.”

It's also home to a number of the company's employees, many of whom are third and fourth generation workers themselves.

“We're very family oriented throughout,” Mycka said.

Hunter said their employees, including a fourth generation of the family, are the backbone of the business.

“Couldn't have grown without our great employees,” he said. “They're great people.”

Mycka said Eau Claire has nearly 100 workers, while the Butler location, along with the body shop and leasing office, totals more than 100.

“The secret to our success is employees,” she said.

“We value their commitment to our customers.”

That commitment has led to prosperity for the business.

“Parts and services have really grown,” Mycka said. “We had to create a third shift to accommodate the work.”

The company is also expanding in innovative ways that move beyond the typical dealership.

They offer technicians to do truck repairs to outside businesses, including those in the natural gas industry.

“The gas industry has been great for us,” Mycka said.

It's innovation that keeps the owners motivated to keep growing.

“We're always looking for expansion,” Mycka said.

Continued success is what the company is striving for, but for the day, it was a chance to look back at the past.

“It's very humbling for us to be recognized for 75 years of business,” Hunter said.

“It's nice to keep the legacy going. It's what Dad and Granddad would have wanted.”