Trusted Dealer:Jerry DeVine

Jerry DeVine knows how to wield a Shindaiwa chainsaw. 

He's been an outdoor power equipment dealer for 40 years and an avid chainsaw carver for 30. 

"I used to keep a stack of wood in front of the store for people to test out the chainsaws," Jerry says. "Eventually people started joking around, asking me to make chairs and stools as we were doing the demo. I said 'sure,' and it just took off from there."

Eventually, Jerry became so good at carving that Shindaiwa sponsored him at the Ohio Forestry Association's Official Paul Bunyan Show. 

He used to do all of the carvings right at the dealership, and a lot of the finished work ended up in his showroom. 

"Well, I've actually had to cut back on the number of sculptures I have on display," he explains. "It was getting to the point where people couldn't tell if I was running a power equipment shop or a carving store." 

It's technically the former. 

Jerry started Como Mower from scratch in 1976. "I wasn't quite sure what kind of business I wanted to start; I just knew I wanted something of my own. 

"One day I was with my realtor buddy at a restaurant called 'Grandma's Fried Chicken,'" Jerry recalls. "They closed up the place and he turned to me and said, 'This is your new mower shop.' And that's how I got started."

Como Mower is a Shindaiwa Signature Elite Dealer. "Shindaiwa is one of the best products that I've ever carried. It's one of those brands that if you've ever used it, you'll never switch to something else. You just trust it.

"I'm proud to say we were the first Shindaiwa dealer in town," Jerry boasts.

He could also say he carved out a niche for himself in Columbus.