Saab Story from the Heartland

Jerry Adams says all his customers ask the same thing: What are you doing out here?

Adams’ Saab auto dealership is in Meyer, Iowa, an unmapped enclave of about 40 people.

Adams’ father, Edmund, opened the garage during the Depression and began selling Saabs in 1964. Jerry Adams took over in 1974.

There isn’t much of a market in Meyer for pricey cars. Most customers come from Des Moines, a three-hour drive south, and Minneapolis, two hours north.

“I had a heck of a good month last month. Sold 18 cars,” Adams said. His showroom is big enough for two new cars.

But Adams is content with rural life. “If I was in the big town,” he said, “I’d have to wear a suit and tie.”