“Sold for $7,800 right there to number 144! Number 144 gets it!” Jimmy Jarvis of De Soto hollered as he auctioned a side-by-side RZR all-terrain vehicle with an attached plow during one of his jobs.
On May 1, Jarvis of Jarvis Auction Service purchased a building at 13150 Summit Road in De Soto to give his clients the opportunity to hold auctions there if they cannot have one on their own property.
Jarvis, 40, can transport clients’ items from their property to his to hold an auction there, or he can travel to his clients’ locations to host auctions on their property.
“I decided to purchase the building because I have been renting for years and I used to do auctions there at that particular building (on Summit Road),” Jarvis said. “I wanted to own my own place for the customers’ convenience because there are many auctions that I cannot do at their house due to parking or if it is too wet.”
Jarvis has been a licensed auctioneer through Jefferson County for 15 years. To become an auctioneer, you have to buy a license at the Courthouse and keep it up to date. Jarvis is licensed to auction anywhere in Missouri.
Jarvis said he enjoys auctions.
“I like the hunt,” Jarvis said. “It’s like a big treasure hunt. You get to go to a bunch of old barns and farmhouses and find a lot of cool stuff, a lot of antiques. You get to see a lot of neat stuff.”
Jarvis said he grew up attending auctions with his father, Donald Jarvis of Black.
Jimmy Jarvis also said his interest in working as an auctioneer and caller grew over the years, and about 10 years ago, he started his business, Jarvis Auction Service.
Jarvis’ wife, Lisa, is the clerk for the business and handles money transactions and advertising.
The couple has two children: Luke, 16, and Ben, 12, who often help at the auctions.
Jarvis typically has six to seven people working at an auction, including two ring men who set up at the auctions and hold up the items that are sold. One of Jarvis’ ring men and partner, David Farris, has been working with him since the business started.
Jarvis also hires a ticket writer for his auctions.
He said he likes his job.
“I enjoy meeting a bunch of different people and being able to help them,” Jarvis said. “Sometimes something that somebody thinks is worth a little bit of nothing, and you get two to three people bidding on it and it becomes worth a lot of money.”
Most of his auctions are estate, farm, real estate, antique and liquidation sales.
Jarvis was scheduled to hold the first auction at his new location since buying it on June 7.
For updates about auctions, visit the Jarvis Auction Service public Facebook group or JarvisAuctionService.com.
