Founder of Princess Auto dies

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/03/2023 (999 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Harvey Tallman, the founder of Princess Auto, died recently, four months shy of his 100th birthday.

Harvey Tallman’s grandsons Marc and Mathew now run the business that has more than 50 stores across the country and more than 3,500 employees.

When Harvey Tallman started the business on Princess Street in the early 1940s, it was called Princess Auto Wrecking, where Tallman bought up old cars, dismantled them and sold the parts in a store-front operation.

His son, Bob Tallman, who took over the business in 1976 with his brother, Larry, said that his father told him how during the war years there were so few cars around that Harvey had to go to great lengths — and distances — to find cars to dismantle for parts.

He then expanded into a mail-order business, selling parts and farm and industrial machinery made from army surplus goods.

Bob said that by the mid-1970s when “it seemed like Canada Post was going on strike every other month,” it caused his father great stress and worries.

“Cash flow would go from pretty good to nothing where he would worry about making payroll many weeks because he couldn’t ship merchandise,” Bob said. “It reached the point where, in failing health, he tossed us the keys and left. It was amazing how quickly his health came back.”

But before he left the business to his sons — Larry left the business in 1989 — he had laid the groundwork for the first retail store, which opened in 1978.

Bob, who sold the business to his two sons in 2018, said he and his father became close after Harvey retired.

“He was proud, happy and amazed at the success of the business,” Bob said. “He would constantly talk about it with everyone.”

The Tallman-family owned business took its cue from Harvey when it came to always treating customers and colleagues well.

In his younger years, Bob said Harvey was a fanatical boats man, spending weekend with his kids going up and down the Red River. He was Commodore of the Manitoba Yacht Club for some time.

Tallman’s wife of 71 years, Louise, passed away in 2020.

He enjoyed his retirement, spending most winters in Palm Springs, Calif., where he was when he passed away.

Bob said that when Harvey left for California this winter they thought it might be his last.

“Unfortunately, we were right,” Bob said.

He is survived by two sons and two daughters, eight grandchildren and one great grandchild.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca