What do you call a couple who quit their jobs to start a business in their spare bedroom that would one day become a national industry leader in auctions? You call them visionaries. That’s precisely what Louis and Susan Dakil did 33 years ago in 1983 when they started Dakil Auctioneers. Today, the company performs between 100 and 150 auctions per year, many of which are held in their impressive auction facility in Oklahoma City.
“Our business keeps us connected to what’s happening in Oklahoma City,” says Susan Dakil. “It’s exciting to see the rebirth and growth that happens here.”
Dakil has been auctioning for so many years now that they’ve liquidated items from the same location two and three times. They’ve really seen businesses come in and out.
“People ask us what it’s like to be auctioning items for a business that hasn’t succeeded,” says Louis Dakil. “But I see each auction as an opportunity for the next guy, the next entrepreneur, to follow their dream.”
Early last year, Dakil assisted in the return of The Oklahoman to downtown Oklahoma City. When the publications company, a staple of the state of Oklahoma for longer than Oklahoma has been a state, made the decision to move back downtown after several decades away, they turned to Dakil to help them sell off assets that didn’t need to make the trip. Dakil auctioned off computer equipment, furniture, and other items that were no longer needed.
“When businesses move or expand, we’re very happy to be a part of their natural growing pains. They need a bigger space or maybe advances in technology have made some of their equipment obsolete. We come in and help them out,” Dakil says.
If you’ve been in the city for the last three decades or more, you have witnessed how much Oklahoma City has grown and changed. Louis and Susan Dakil have been in a unique position to observe the growth and change in Oklahoma City for 33 years. Their business, Dakil Auctioneers, Inc., has helped sell off the assets of many businesses that have come (and gone) in Oklahoma City. Through it all, the Dakils have stayed rooted in the city, growing into a leader in the industry.
“It’s an exciting time to be in Oklahoma City, and we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
To see how the Dakils can assist you with your auction needs, see our upcoming auctions or contact us today.
