Kalmar History

One Man's Dream Became an Honored Family Tradition

When Rudy Kalmar opened his Hudson sale and service station in 1937, perhaps he had hopes that he was building a business that would be carried on by his children and grandchildren. He probably had no idea that his two sons would someday expand his car dealership to the size it is today, let alone that they would be running advertisements on television.

Rudy was born in 1910 to Mr. and Mrs. John Kalmar. His parents had emigrated from Czechoslovakia in the early 1900s and settled on a farm in the Logansport/Schenley area north of Leechburg. Rudy's father, John Kalmar, was a mason. In the old country, boys started to work at a very young age, so John began at age 10 mixing mortar for the bricklayers. By age 15 he was taught how to lay brick. He would use this skill to help his son, Rudy, build not only the building in which his first business was located, but the second as well.

The transaction was your choice

As Rudy was growing up, automobiles were becoming a more widespread means of transportation. He developed an interest in working on them, and in 1929 became a certified mechanic through the Chicago Motor Training School. Rudy married Helen Highfield in 1936 and started his own business the following year. After years of being a mechanic, he planned to provide a good living for his wife and the children they would have someday.