THORNTON, Iowa - "I probably started back, for sure about ’87," said Robert Leininger in his Thornton, Iowa home.
For years, Leininger's been the snow man; battling winter's worst in the town of Thornton.
"At one time, I had 63 or 64 customers here in town that I blowed their sidewalk or their driveway," said Leininger.
He didn't just work for folks in town, his snow-blowing know how even led Thornton to hire his services to blow out businesses and sidewalks.
"Store fronts, normally a single front when I started was $2, and then I went up to $3 for a single front, and then a double front was $5 last year," said Leininger.
He would even spend his early mornings clearing out places like the library and fire station for free, but after putting in his time and helping out, the man winter couldn't tame is deciding it is time to retire from his snow-blowing position.
"I bought myself just a little walk behind snow blower, and I clean my own driveway and my neighbor's over here, and that's all i do," said the now retired Leininger.
The city bought a snow-blower of its own and is now charging local businesses to do the job, but many in Thornton says they'll miss the man who fought the elements for so many years. As for Leininger, he says theres a time for winter and a time to retire. The city of Thornton is charging businesses for snow blowing based on size of the lot or side-walk. There's no word on how much extra it may cost, but other folks will have to find another way to get their driveway and walkways cleared.
