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New building going up for Empire Auctions

The steel is up on a building that could soon beckon bidders from Hwy 2.
C03-building
Steel awaits installation for a new machinery auction building under construction southeast of Innisfail Thursday.

The steel is up on a building that could soon beckon bidders from Hwy 2.

Innisfail businessman Jody Bouvier plans to auction heavy equipment on the site just south of town and on the east side of the highway.

Operating as Empire Auctions, the business will market construction and farm equipment at periodic live sales.

Bouvier also owns Groundhog Sales Ltd., which sells and rents heavy equipment on the east side of Innisfail, and previously operated an auction business in Red Deer.

“I do have auction experience, and lots of experience in the heavy equipment business, so we’re just kind of combining both.”

He hopes to have his 11,000-square-foot building completed by the end of October, and his first equipment auction next spring. Thereafter, Bouvier plans to conduct four sales a year: summer, pre-harvest, fall and again in the spring.

“We’re also going to be selling vehicles,” he said, adding that those auctions could occur weekly or every two weeks.

“There’d be everything from quads, boats, what have you.”

Bouvier said many auto dealers travel to Calgary and Edmonton to attend consignment vehicle sales. He would like to draw them to Innisfail as well.

Empire Auctions might also sell other items, such as new merchandise like appliances that have sustained dents, scratches or other minor damage.

Bouvier think’s the auction mart’s prominent location on the highway should prove to be a real asset.

“You don’t get any better.”

Empire Auctions’ building is being developed on land that Red Deer County last year rezoned to direct control from agricultural.

The area wasn’t considered suitable for residential development.

hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com