Reba McClanahan, owner, is seated in the middle with This photo was taken in 2007 when the dealership do-
her family. She purchased the dealership in 1977. Her nated a motorcycle for the State’s Centennial Time Cap-
oldest son, Johnny (right), is the dealership’s general sule. The motorcycle will be sealed in the time capsule
manager and her youngest son, James (left), is the deal- and opened 48 years from now—50 years from being
ership’s assistant general manager. encapsulated.
Durens, originally from Oklahoma, came very and it’s quite a problem. Reba cites her scariest sooner or later, they won’t be! Reba always had
close to purchasing the Harley-Davidson dealer- experience to the “Oil Patch” incident in the mid this philosophy and had saved well. It’s fortunate
ship in Henryetta, Oklahoma. Then, by a stroke of ‘80’s where during a 6-week period 17,500 jobs she did because during this time, the bank she did
luck, were informed that the Myers owned deal- in Tulsa alone, were lost. Now that’s one hell of an business with was shut down, and all her funds
ership in Tulsa was available. Within a few short economic storm. frozen along with it. To keep the doors open, and
days, the deal was done and the Durens were the Luckily Reba is as intelligent and logical as she to make payroll she used her personal savings
new owners of the Tulsa dealership, the date was is tough and had the business sense to know that held at a different bank. “This is what I would call
July 13th, 1977. when things are good, be conservative, because “the Ugly time.” Reba said.
So, as it became, Myers-Duren Harley-David- Through the many ups, and downs of the
son, then located at 800 S. Utica, had its newest years, Reba and her family have managed to
owner at the reigns. Unfortunately just one year maintain Myers-Duren Harley-Davidson as a
in, Lowell decided he had grown tired of the deal- stronghold in Tulsa, the Oklahoma motorcycling
ership and wanted out, and on top of it, he de- community, and the Harley-Davidson community.
cided he wanted out of his marriage as well. For a Reba tells me, “The employees and customers at
majority of individuals out there, this sudden Myers-Duren are like an extended family. We like
change would stop them in their tracks, but as I’ve to have that warm, fuzzy atmosphere.” Well, Reba,
come to find out, Reba is a force to be reckoned kudos to you because this is what keeps people
with. Reba, still very new to owning a dealership, coming back to this dealership year after year, and
took on the shop as the sole owner. the type of attitude and business plan that sets the
She poured her heart and soul into Myers- stage for such a feat as a 95th Anniversary during
Duren, putting in countless hours even after the a time when the economic climate has positioned
doors had closed. She pressed on through “The itself as the natural selection of businesses.
good, the bad, and the ugly”, as she has described If you have the opportunity, please stop in to
the peaks, and valleys through the years. In 1979 Myers-Duren and celebrate their 95th Anniver-
she remarried to Don McClanahan, and since sary with them. There are different events planned
then, the dealership has been a family affair with for every weekend in October, and as always there
son Johnny as General Manager, and James as the are H.O.G. Chapter rides planned on Saturdays
Assistant General Manager, IT guru and web de- and Dinner Rides various days of the week
signer. throughout the month. For those of you that only
Myers-Duren Harley-Davidson has weathered wish you rode…make it a reality. Myers-Duren
some crazy times through the years. Some of you
may remember during the 70’s, Harley was hav-
This is an eagle that was carved by fa-
now offers the Riders Edge Course and just passed
their 7th graduating class.
ing a problem with their valves sticking which
mous chainsaw carver Clayton Coss
You can visit them at their beautiful art deco
ended up being attributed to the reformulation of
from a 100+ year-old elm tree in
showroom at 4848 S. Peoria Ave., in Tulsa, Okla-
gasoline during those years causing carbon build
up in the engine. This may not sound like big
front of the dealership that was dis-
homa or on the web at
www.tulsaharley.com. To
contact them by phone, dial 918-743-4440 and
news to most, but consider it as a business owner
eased with carpenter ants.
tell them Wide Open sent you!
56 Wide Open
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