Twin City Toyota has a new leader – Todd Schutte who took over as president and principal owner after John Poppell retired in April.
The Twin City Toyota auto dealership, 301 Autumn Ridge Drive, in Herculaneum, sells new and pre-owned vehicles.
“John Poppell was the founder of Twin City Toyota – he started it in 1990 in a little store behind Schnuck’s (on Gannon Drive in Festus),” Schutte said. “He opened the business with 12 employees.
“In 2007, we moved here to Herculaneum. Today, we employ over 60 people.”
With that move, Twin City Toyota expanded from a 2-acre site in Festus to a 5-acre site in Herculaneum.
When the dealership relocated, Poppell said he did not change the name because the business had established name recognition.
Poppell remains a minority owner of the dealership, said Schutte, a longtime Twin City Toyota employee.
“I, personally, have been working here 24 years,” Schutte said. “I was managing partner for the last five years.”
He said he wants to carry on the same high quality Poppell established at Twin City Toyota, saying Poppell promoted “the Toyota touch” at the dealership.
“It’s simply our way of doing things right,” Schutte said. “Over the 33 years, our philosophy has been providing excellent service and we will continue to do that long into the future.”
Schutte said he also plans to continue supporting the community.
“For the last 33 years, (Poppell) has been so supportive of the community,” Schutte said. “He’s supported so many community organizations and projects over the years.”
In 2019, Poppell spearheaded a raffle for a 2020 Toyota Supra sports car valued at $57,000 in to benefit Comtrea and Mary’s House of Hope for the organizations to build transitional housing for victims of domestic abuse. Poppell credited Schutte with coming up with the idea for the raffle.
Schutte, who lives in Festus with his family, said he has long been involved in the Jefferson County community.
“My family has been residents here for 22 years,” he said.