RENSSELAER, Ind. — Castongia Tractor, the oldest John Deere dealership in Indiana, finalized the acquisition of A&M Farm Center’s two stores in Crown Point and Valparaiso, Ind., on Feb. 8. Castongia also has stores in Rensselaer, DeMotte and Fowler.

The Crown Point location is a dedicated lawn and garden store and will remain so, while the Valparaiso store will continue to serve both agriculture and lawn and garden customers.

Mark Abbett, the previous owner of A&M Farm Center, is leaving the business to pursue other interests, but all other A&M Farm Center employees will be staying on under the new ownership, according to Jon Castongia, president of Castongia Tractor.

Along with the acquisition, the dealership is rebranding itself as Castongia Tractor. The dealership had operated under the name Castongia Inc. since 1988.  “When my grandfather started the business in 1939, it was Castongia Tractor & Equipment. The new name returns us to our roots while also providing a vision for the future. It is also more descriptive of our core business,” explains Castongia.

The addition of the Crown Point and Valparaiso stores gives the dealership a larger footprint, adds to its diversity and strengthens its aftermarket business, Castongia says.

“Our goal is for a smooth transition which integrates the best practices of both organizations and maintains the same great service that our customers have come to expect,” he says.