MARYSVILLE – With the Fourth of July so close, it seemed appropriate for a new business to patriotically raise a U.S. flag Monday.

Donald Wischmann has helped to raise dozens and dozens of flags. But he helped with his biggest one yet Monday – a 30-foot by 20-foot monster of a Star-Spangled Banner.

“It was the first time for that big of a flag,” he said. “You could tell because we fumbled through everything.”

Wischmann was helped by six others from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Old Guard Post 2000 out of Everett. He said it took seven of them 40 minutes.

The group raised the flag at the new Toyota of Marysville on Smokey Point Boulevard, operated by Jim Colon and Perry Watson. The business officially opens July 16. Wischmann, a combat veteran, got choked up when talking about the flag-raising. “Whenever we raised the flag it means more…” he said. “It’s emotional.”

Mayor Jon Nehring also attended the event. “The flag is so meaningful,” he added.

Late last week, Colon and Watson spoke at the Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce breakfast.

They said their business will be different from other auto dealers.

“It’s the easy way to buy a car,” Colon said. “You deal with one person, one price. You don’t have to wear armor to buy a car.”

Watson said they want to be the No. 1 Toyota dealer in the state. To do that, they plan to treat customers with respect as honored guests. They are going to be active in the community and hire local workers.

“We’re going to put the fun back into buying a car,” he said.