BROOKINGS – Dennis Kruse will be hanging up his tools and closing Don’s Body Shop, but he’s got plenty on his to do list.

“A lot more fishin’, huntin’ and campin’,” he said.

An open house is planned from 3-7 p.m. Friday at Don’s Body Shop. Refreshments will be served.

None of his three sons wanted to take over, so Kruse sold the building and the land and he’ll be closing the shop officially on April 1.

Kruse has been working on cars for a long time, mostly at the shop located at 105 W. Second St. S. in Brookings.

His dad, Don, worked for other shops in town before starting his own in several locations and bringing his son in to help.

“He rented a couple other buildings before, then we built this (in 1967),” Kruse recalled.

He was still in high school when he started helping his dad.

“I used to come down after school and nights, give him a hand,” Kruse said. “I actually started working for him in about ’65. I helped clean up, odds and ends stuff, throw bumpers on, stuff like that.”

He graduated from high school in 1969 and worked full-time at the shop after that. 

Don died in 1974, and Dennis felt no need to change the name of the business.

He continued with the crew his dad had hired. 

Two years later, those guys had moved on and Kruse brought in his brothers, Danny and David, later adding brother Dwight, as well. Both Danny and David are deceased now, and Dwight left.

“I just took over and been on my own for 9 years,” Kruse said.

If it pertained to body work, he’s done it.

“I did it all: fiberglass and glass repair, bodywork, and rust repair,” he said.

He had an elite clientele, too, painting 11 to 15 race cars a year, said his nephew, Paul Kruse.

Vehicles weren’t the only things Dennis Kruse worked on.

“Lot of outside stuff, too: house doors, frames, trailers, anything that has paint on it,” Kruse said. “We even painted one house once – my mother’s.”

More than just car repair went on in the shop.

“I’ve got about eight to 10 buddies or more. Every day that I can remember, we have played a game of cards,” Kruse said. “Never took anything seriously, and we still do it today, probably what I’ll miss the most.”

That and his loyal customers.

“I’ll probably miss the customers; lot of good people. They stop and visit me no matter if I fix their car or not. Just stop in and say hi and visit for a while. I was always glad to help them out, whatever they needed,” Kruse said.

“I’ve already had a lot of them call, didn’t want me to go, but I can hear the fish hollerin’ for me,” Kruse said.

He was getting some big hints on the homefront that it was time to shift gears.

“My wife, (Annette) bought me a new boat and she said it’s time to go fishing,” Kruse joked. “You just gotta enjoy life sooner or later. I’ve been doing this since I was 16 years old.”

A hard worker all his life, Kruse plans to be just as busy in retirement, finding a new spot for his card games and other hobbies, and spending more time with his four grandchildren, as well as his friends.

“Most of my buddies now are retired. That’s another reason why I’m retiring. I’ve got some fishing buddies and now I can go fishing with them,” he said.

“Plan to do a lot more campin’, do a little more traveling; already done a little more huntin’,” Kruse said. 

Contact Jodelle Greiner at jgreiner@brookingsregister.com.

Register photo: Dennis Kruse does some work on a vehicle in his garage, Don’s Body Shop, located at 105 W. Second St. S. in Brookings. Kruse will be closing the shop and retiring April 1. An open house is set Friday. The body shop was started by his dad, Don, in 1967, and Dennis has worked there since then.