Mayers sell business, eye retirement

Dave and Mike Mayer, long among the more recognizable faces of the plumbing industry in Custer, figure it was high school when they dabbled in plumbing for the first time. You could say plumbing chose them, as they would help their father, the founder of Mayer Plumbing, on jobs he did when he was in that line of work.
Between the two of them, they have somewhere in the neighborhood of 90 years of plumbing experience. The days they add to those experiences are growing fewer and fewer, as the two farm boys from Roscoe officially sold Mayer Plumbing to Phil and Shelley Bader at the end of 2021. Although they still work for the Baders and have not officially retired, they say they are trending in that direction.
Their father worked for another plumber, Bob Martin, after they moved to Custer from Roscoe, a small town 40 miles west of Aberdeen. Their father purchased the business a year later in 1975, and it has been Mayer Plumbing ever since. At that time the business was located where Adventure Rentals is now located on 6th Street, just down from its current location, which the Mayer brothers moved into in 1983.
The two don’t have an exact date in mind for when they plan to officially call it a career.
“When Phil replaces us,” Mike says with a laugh, adding they will still help him as needed.
The two say they aren’t sure what has kept them in plumbing all these years. They both went to college, but just kind of kept doing plumbing after starting out working summers helping their father.
“It’s a job. It’s not like being in the office,” Mike said. “You get something new every week. You think you know everything but something throws something new at you every time. It’s interesting.”
The Mayers never considered expanding over the years, staying as the main workers along with the other one or two people they would have working with them from time to time.
“Then it’s just more work,” Dave said of the idea of growing or expanding the business.
“And someone gets to be an administrator instead of a worker,” Mike added.
Over their years, the Mayers have encountered every kind of plumbing job imaginable. From well systems to rotors, new construction to toilets, water heaters and everything in between, they seemingly have seen it all and done it all when it comes to the plumbing profession. There is no lack of demand, they say, and a plumber can be as busy as they want to be, depending on how far out into the nearby area they are willing to work. Jobs in the Custer area have kept them plenty busy, however, and the demand for plumbers seems only to be growing.
It’s not  a job for everyone.
“We’re 66 and we get to pick up a pick and a shovel sometimes,” Mike said.
Technology in plumbing has changed somewhat over the years, the two say, but a toilet is still a toilet, although “you can get one that is pretty fancy now,” Mike said.
Much remains a constant, however.
“It still flows downhill,” Dave said.
The best part of the years as a plumber, Mike said, is helping people. Much of the time when someone needs a plumber it’s safe to say they aren’t having the best of days.
“That’s probably the best part,” he said. “Helping people out.”
And the worst part?
“Twenty below (zero),” Dave said with a smile.
While they will miss helping people, there are certainly aspects of the job they won’t miss. Mike says he’s tired of moving snow from the sidewalk in front of the business. Dave said he won’t miss his work phone, something Mike nods his head in agreement with.
“I’m going to blow up a jet pump and shoot my phone,” he said with a laugh. “That’s what my retirement is.”
There are also the little things that many people don’t think about when they think about owning a business.
“When you own a business like this, you’re in charge of everything from ordering materials to checking them in to being the janitor or whatever,” Mike said.
The two had to learn discipline in terms of not working endless hours and all weekend long. A sign that hangs inside their business speaks to that, reading: “I own a business. My business doesn’t own me.”
The two say they are appreciative of the business community and their customers over the years, and both say they plan to stay in Custer upon retirement. As for big plans in retirement?
“I might shingle my roof. We’ll see,” Mike said with a laugh.
Dave said he’s taking things day by day. But will he call a plumber if his water heater goes out?
“Oh, I’m sure we’ll do our own,” he said.
Shelley Bader said she thanks the Mayers for their years of commitment and service to the community, and she and her husband are excited to be able to take over the business and service the community.
“Hopefully we live up to what they did the last 40 years,” she said.