Auctioneer Joe Pyle still in the sales game after 30 years

Today, Pyle owns and runs West Virginias largest auctioneering company, Joe R. Pyle Auctions. Last year, Pyles company sold more than 65,000 cars. The company employs more than 500 people at its locations across the state. Originally, the business focused solely on cars, but it has grown to include real estate, historic items, sports memorabilia and just about anything else Pyle can get his hands on. Sitting behind an imposing wooden desk in an office decorated with collectables, antiques and family photos, Pyle said it all began with his father, Don. Don Pyle owned Dons Cars in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, which sold late-model used cars, Joe said. When Joe was 8 years old, Don took him to his first auction in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. He was hooked instantly. The crowd, the clothes, the excitement — it all appealed to young Joe. When I came back, I said, Thats what I want to do when I grow up, he said. Joe said from that moment on, he became obsessed with auctioneering. In his spare time, Joe would practice counting his numbers backward and forward and work on perfecting his vocal abilities. Even his playtime was spent auctioneering. I had a trailer that had a bunch of furniture in it, he said. And I would auction that off every day. I had a bunch of Matchbox Cars and auctioned them off. ... I built a little auction building out of Lincoln Logs. At age 14, Joe got the opportunity to participate in his first real auction at Pennsylvanias 84 Auction Barn selling assorted lots of tools for a family friend. He would let me sell the tools, Joe said. Wed just get up on the back of a pickup truck, sell it all off, move on to the next one. Over the next several years, Joe spent his time studying auctioneering and perfecting his future craft. He would listen to recordings of veteran auctioneers and attend every live auction he could. I would just try to pick up the best little practices, he said. Along the way, Joe discovered that the human element of auctions appealed to him just as much as the process of actually selling something. Auctioneering is more than just counting numbers or having a nice chant, Joe said. Auctioneering is connectability to a customer. They have to trust you. Joe got his auctioneering license at age 16 and began to hold his own auctions, selling antiques. Throughout his teens, Joe supported himself with contract auctioneering gigs, traveling across West Virginia and Pennsylvania officiating one-off auctions anywhere they would have him. During this time, Joe met and began dating his future wife Charlotte. The pair were married when Joe was 23 and she was 20. For more than 30 years, the couple have been partners in life and business. She contributes heavily to what we get done, Joe said of his wifes role in the business. Weve built what weve built together. Within a few years of their marriage, the couple founded the auction company and opened its Shinnston location. We felt like there was a need for an auto auction down here in West Virginia, Joe said. The business began with just a small office and a two-lane garage. As the business started to grow, so did its faculties. Over the years the building has been renovated 14 times, Joe said. The once humble garage has since been expanded into a massive multi-lane warehouse and the office has been transformed into a living museum dedicated to Joes life, interests, family and achievements. Its walls are covered in framed photographs, license plates, vintage advertisements and much of the building is decorated like a 1950s diner. The rear-end of a Volkswagen Beetle juts out from a wall in the buildings lobby, and Charlotte does her work seated behind a desk made out of the front-end of a candy-pink Chevrolet. The facilities even include an actual diner that serves guests on auction days. The vibrant and eccentric offices are a reflection of Joe himself. When he auctioneers, Joe has become known for wearing colorful cowboy hats, matching boots and an ever-changing array of flamboyant suits. The custom-made suits often reflect a holiday theme, featuring a pattern of Santa Claus faces for Christmas or pumpkins for Halloween. Margie Willis, who has worked for Joe for more than 28 years, said his suits draw customers to the auctions. Everyone is always excited to see what Joe will wear next, Willis said. Joe said his personal style has not only come to define his business, but also helps him get into the right mental space before an auction. Its part of the brand, Joe said. Its very likened to a performer. You absolutely have to be on your game when you step on that auction block. Although the company is already larger and more successful than Joe could have ever imagined when he first sold that first garden hoe as boy, he said he still has plans to continue its growth. Weve invested in ourselves. A lot of people invest in others or invest in the stock market, Joe said. I invest in blacktop and buildings and fences. To learn more about Joe R. Pyle Auctions and to see upcoming auction dates, visit http://joerpyleauctions.com/.