The first shop was located at 120 West Main Street in rented quarters. It was here that the first nine organs were built. The increasing size of the firm’s projects suggested a larger shop, which Dobson acquired in 1979. Located on the City Square at 200 North Illinois Street, just three blocks from the Main Street shop, Dobson’s new home had been built in 1898 as the Elposco Block for a company that manufactured specialty concrete items such as electric poles, street markers and fence posts.

This building housed a variety of businesses, including the first Ford dealership in western Iowa, a skating rink and bowling alley, a chicken hatchery and, most recently, a John Deere dealer and repair shop. By 1978, the building had suffered a fire that destroyed the top two floors. Though condemned by the city, Dobson saw the potential in the old building and renovated it into 12,000 square feet of office and workshop space. In 1992, a 4,500 square foot woodworking shop was added and the original shop spaces were reorganized to accommodate the needs of the company. In 2007, the woodworking shop was expanded again, increasing that area by another 4,500 sq. ft. This new addition also links the shop to our warehouse building of 5,000 sq. ft.

Workshop facilities include offices, drafting rooms, voicing rooms, an erecting room with a 32' ceiling, and specialized shops for woodworking, metalwork, key action, leatherwork and metal pipe construction. In addition, the company owns 10,000 square feet of warehouse and storage space.