66 Years on Cherry Street

By Deb Beer

M & R stands for Bill McKibben and Harold Rau who originally began a partnership as McKibben and Rau at 118 Cherry St., Bluffton, working out of the garage at Bill McKibben’s home. This was 1958. The two men were brothers-in-law – Harold’s wife Ada is a sister to Bill’s wife Faye. According to Ada, they first did sheet metal work, roofing and plumbing and heating installation and repair.  The two couples were originally from the Continental, Ohio, area. McKibben had been working in the Findlay area and talked Harold into opening a shop in Bluffton.

In 1960 they opened a showroom in the former Dr. Munson Bixel office which was attached to the McKibben residence. This piece of real estate is now the Bluffton location of First National Bank of Pandora.

In 1962 the partners incorporated as M & R Plumbing and Heating. In 1973 Rau purchased McKibben’s half of the business and McKibben left to work for the Allen County Health Department as plumbing inspector. The following year, 1974, the business was moved to 212 Cherry St.  As part of the move, Rau installed an awning on the front of the building.   CONTINUES ▶︎

Ada Rau said there was originally a barn behind the property which they could use for storage. Ada also has an old Bluffton News article which indicates the building at 212 Cherry St. had been H. Good’s Blacksmith Shop from 1899-1922. In 2024 this location is the Village Cut & Curl hair salon.

By 1977 M & R had outgrown this location so they moved again – but again stayed on Cherry Street.  They purchased the former Bixel Motor Sales at 131 Cherry St. from Clayton and Katherine Bixel.  

Harold’s wife Ada was an integral part of the business from early on. She said she started working in the office “around the time her youngest child was about 4 years old.” Others working in the office and retail store over the years included Bill’s wife Faye McKibben, Annetta Dudgeon, Coletta Mullenhour and Becky Marshall.

Those working in the field over the years were: Claire Withrow, Stanley Newton, Ken Doty, Jim Amstutz, Jeff Klemen, Dave Moyer, Don Reiman, Dave Grismore, Steve Knepper, Jim Basinger, Don Staley, Wayne McOwen, Doug Messinger, Brad Richardson and Troy Allen. According to Ada Rau, many of these men worked for them for 20 years or more.

Harold and Ada retired in 1997 when they sold M & R to Jeff and Don Kleman. The Kleman brothers chose to keep the same name for the business. Don’s wife Jona handled the bookkeeping for the business.  Jeff Kleman said he became the sole owner of M & R after about three years.

The final chapter of M & R Plumbing and Heating history took place in the summer of 2024 – after 66 years -- when it was purchased by Basinger Plumbing and Heating. The rural Pandora business relocated to the former M&R building in November 2024.