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Kniep’s Service Center had a face lift in September.
No longer an automotive service center, the building at 325 S. First Ave. is now Morton Rentals.
Owner and operator Brad Kniep said he saw a need for a hometown rental service in Morton.
“I just thought there was a need in Morton for the community to be serviced well in the rental side and especially even the party said,” Kniep, a 2003 Morton High School graduate, said.
“We’re trying to become your hometown rental store for the do-it-yourselfers and also for the contractors.”
Morton Rentals offers everything from lawn care to tables and chairs to inflatable bounce houses.
Kniep said he has been thinking about opening a rental store for five years, and was finally able to pull the trigger.
Kniep said it was advantageous for the business to open in early September, right before Pumpkin Festival.
“We knew that there would be a lot of traffic in Morton here for that,” he said of Pumpkin Festival.
Kniep said Morton Rentals does everything from delivering equipment and picking it up as well as setting up the bounce houses.
Kniep said since the grand opening Sept. 1, the store has had a great response.
“We’ve got a lot of good feedback from the community and people are coming in saying, ‘Hey, we’re glad you’re doing it. We were driving to Peoria or Pekin.’”
Kniep said the party supplies have had the biggest positive feedback, noting the inflatables are already booked out.
“We’ve already had to put our second order in for inflatables,” he said.
Although Morton is Kniep’s target, he said he has already rented inflatables to customers in Bloomington and Congerville, and has rented equipment to customers in Washington and Tremont.
“I think it’ll be one of those things that I might just have more specialty stuff that other places might not have. I want to be an all-in-one rental store - tools, equipment and party,” he said. “We have the space to do it. We’ll always be growing.”
Kniep said when he was preparing to change over to the rental business he visited every rental store in town and asked people what they rent and what problems they have had.
“I was trying to figure out if there are any areas that aren’t being serviced like they should be. I was hearing that people are driving a distance to go rent something because they aren’t being serviced in their own town,” he said.
Kniep’s Service Center had a face lift in September.
No longer an automotive service center, the building at 325 S. First Ave. is now Morton Rentals.
Owner and operator Brad Kniep said he saw a need for a hometown rental service in Morton.
“I just thought there was a need in Morton for the community to be serviced well in the rental side and especially even the party said,” Kniep, a 2003 Morton High School graduate, said.
“We’re trying to become your hometown rental store for the do-it-yourselfers and also for the contractors.”
Morton Rentals offers everything from lawn care to tables and chairs to inflatable bounce houses.
Kniep said he has been thinking about opening a rental store for five years, and was finally able to pull the trigger.
Kniep said it was advantageous for the business to open in early September, right before Pumpkin Festival.
“We knew that there would be a lot of traffic in Morton here for that,” he said of Pumpkin Festival.
Kniep said Morton Rentals does everything from delivering equipment and picking it up as well as setting up the bounce houses.
Kniep said since the grand opening Sept. 1, the store has had a great response.
“We’ve got a lot of good feedback from the community and people are coming in saying, ‘Hey, we’re glad you’re doing it. We were driving to Peoria or Pekin.’”
Kniep said the party supplies have had the biggest positive feedback, noting the inflatables are already booked out.
“We’ve already had to put our second order in for inflatables,” he said.
Although Morton is Kniep’s target, he said he has already rented inflatables to customers in Bloomington and Congerville, and has rented equipment to customers in Washington and Tremont.
“I think it’ll be one of those things that I might just have more specialty stuff that other places might not have. I want to be an all-in-one rental store - tools, equipment and party,” he said. “We have the space to do it. We’ll always be growing.”
Kniep said when he was preparing to change over to the rental business he visited every rental store in town and asked people what they rent and what problems they have had.
“I was trying to figure out if there are any areas that aren’t being serviced like they should be. I was hearing that people are driving a distance to go rent something because they aren’t being serviced in their own town,” he said.
Kniep said although the store is open, it is still not complete.
He plans to add a fish tank in the front of the reception desk and add stools and a projector.
“Saturday’s we’re going to grill burgers and when someone rents something and they come back all sweaty from working, I’ll give them a water,” he said. “It’s kind of like a thank you.”
Kniep said his rental service will be a 24-hour service.
If something happens on a Sunday and a customers needs to rent something, Kniep will have the office phone forward calls to his cell phone and he will open up the business if needed.
“I want to do anything I can for the customers,” he said.
Morton Rentals can be contacted at 263-RENT. For more information on tools, equipment and party supplies available to rent, visit www.mortonrentals.com.
