NILES — The Greater Niles Chamber of Commerce and Bobcat of Michiana will be hosting a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony in celebration of Bobcat’s new Niles facilities on Friday, Oct. 4. This event is open to the community and will run from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., with the ribbon cutting taking place at 11:15 a.m. Bobcat of Michiana Niles is currently open and operating out of its new facility on 2622 S. 11th St. in Niles.

“Bobcat and the chamber would like to invite all members of the community and businesses to join us during this commemorative event that will additionally feature an opportunity to meet the Bobcat team, tour their new space and enjoy a delicious lunch. If one is unable to make it to this event, Bobcat encourages all interested parties to stop by their storefront during regular business hours to meet the team and view their extensive inventory,” said Eileen Villanueva, the chamber’s membership coordinator.

Bobcat of Michiana showcases a variety of Bobcat equipment available for purchase or for rental, including skid steer loaders, track loaders, excavators and utility vehicles. In addition, Bobcat carries an array of parts and attachments for sale, such as stump grinders, augers and breakers.

The shop, however, prides itself on much more than just sales, officials said. Bobcat also offers a full-service repair shop, with multiple trained in-house technicians, as well as a mobile repair unit.

“We are here for our customers, and we’ll help them to the best of our abilities,” said Tim Widup, general manager. “We work for the contractors and construction companies, yes, but also for the ‘weekend warrior’ — individuals who may need equipment for their at-home projects.”

Bobcat of Michiana services all of northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan with a focus in St. Joseph County, Indiana and Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties in Michigan. 

Niles was the ideal location to open the new Bobcat facilities as it was geographically ideal to service across their territory as well as to increase visibility and accessibility, officials said.

“Niles has been so welcoming. We are so excited to be here,” said Ryann Zawada, human resources generalist. “We hope to continue to build a really wonderful relationship with this community, and we hope that Niles knows that we are here for them as well.”

For more information regarding Bobcat of Michiana’s goods and services, contact Widup at tim.widup@bobcatofmichiana.com or (269) 210-2299.