Auctioneering runs in the Kral family
‘Let our family help your family’
Auctioneering runs in the Kral family
By Geri McShane | Albert Lea Tribune
Published Sunday, March 1, 2009
For the Kral family, auctioneering is a family affair.
Greg Kral had worked for an auctioneer before deciding to go on his own last winter. And when he did that, his whole family decided to get into the act.
Greg and his son, Spencer, now 16, attended auctioneering school last February in Mankato. There were students from 13 states, Greg said, and during the weeklong school, they focused on not only how to speak the language of auctioneering, but also on the business aspect of engineering.
“Spencer won the Best New Auctioneer Award,” Greg said.
He was almost the youngest student there; there was a teen from Colorado who was a few months younger than Spencer, Greg said.
“I didn’t really think he’d do it,” said Greg’s wife, Karen, of Spencer going to auctioneer school. “We said, ‘You should try this’ and he said, ‘OK,’ and away he went.”
“I bet Spencer sold everything in the house practicing,” said his sister, Molly.
Greg’s wife Karen and his daughter, Miranda, attended an appraisal workshop for real estate and personal property at the auctioneering school.
Since completing the training, the Krals have helped other auctioneers at auctions and have done some entirely on their own. Winter is the quietest time of year for them, but auctions can keep them busy in the spring, summer and fall.
The whole family works at auctions. While Greg and Spencer auction off the items, Miranda works the ring, shouting “yep” as a bid comes in. Molly clerks.
Karen’s daughter Alexa has helped Molly clerk.
“I hadn’t been to an auction before, but it was fun,” Alexa said.
“We love it,” added Miranda. “It’s cool to work together.
“We’re more passionate about it than like it,” she said.
“The kids would drop anything to go,” Greg said.
“It’s a social event,” said Karen. “We all like people.”
Greg and Karen actually met at an auction where Greg was helping out. “I always liked to go to auctions with my brother,” she said.
Greg said the community has offered the new family business great support. And in turn, the family gives the best it’s got.
“Our motto is, ‘Let our family help your family,’” he said.
When someone calls the Krals about an auction, Greg and Karen will meet with them and see what items they wish to auction. “I take pictures and get descriptions and put the pictures on our Web site,” Karen said.
Then they advertise the auction and familiarize the rest of the family with what’s ahead.
“It’s most important for us to make our clients happy,” Greg said.
“Some of them are selling their lives,” Karen added. “We have to be considerate of their belongings.”
A few days before the event, they make sure everything is lined up and ready to go. If it’s a real estate auction, they arrange some open houses and sometimes do some private showings.
“We just try to be there for the client,” Greg said.
Auctioneering can be a tough business to start up, Greg said. “Many of them have been in business for years, or even generations. That’s why we stick together as a family.”
Outside the auctioneering business, they all do other things. Greg farms. Karen is a hairstylist at Dinah’s Style in Albert Lea. Miranda is a stylist at Classic Reflections in Northbridge Mall. Molly is a student at Minnesota State University-Mankato. Spencer is a sophomore at Glenville-Emmons High School. Alexa is a student at the Area Learning Center and is a certified nursing assistant. Her brother, Tyler, works at Wal-Mart and is a student in the welding program at Riverland Community College. Tyler hasn’t worked an auction yet, but said he can’t wait to.
“It’s not something we have to do,” Miranda said. “It’s something we like to do together.”
Added Spencer, “Besides the farm, it’s something we can do together.”
Molly said she likes the fact that people now look at the family as an auction company and not just farmers.
For Spencer, the fun is in saying “sold.”
“I like auctioneering and working to get somebody to bid when they don’t really want to anymore,” he said.
Miranda said she loves working the ring and keeping people bidding. She tells people, “Why say no when it feels so good to say yes?”
The family admits to having butterflies before an auction, but it all goes away once the bidding starts.
“We’re just having a blast doing it,” said Miranda.
“We couldn’t do it without everybody working together,” Greg said. “It’s the coolest thing.”
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