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In August, Rural King celebrated its 65th anniversary, marking more than six decades of steady growth from a single store in Mattoon, Illinois, to more than 140 locations across 14 states.
The company prides itself on supporting its loyal and growing customer base by providing a great experience that starts with free popcorn and coffee while they shop for quality products at a great price.
To commemorate the milestone, Rural King hosted a two-week anniversary celebration in August where customers enjoyed exclusive in-store events and promotions, including complimentary hot dogs every Saturday, weekend bucket sales, sweepstakes giveaways and loyalty rewards for RK Rewards members who shopped during the event.
“My great-uncle Kermit and his partner Keith started Rural King with a passion to serve a great agricultural community that lacked access to the supplies they needed to run their family farms,” says Alex Melvin, owner and chairman of Rural King. “Kermit loved the community, and he wanted nothing more than to serve them well so they could live the rural lifestyle he appreciated so much. I grew up in Rural King with my family, helping at our stores and ensuring that our customers got what they needed, when they needed it. I’m blessed to help carry on the legacy of this great company, which supports the rural lifestyle, and I am thankful for our associates and their hard work and dedication to serving their customers every day.”
Rural King’s product assortment spans livestock feed and care, pet supplies, tools, hardware, apparel, food, home goods and more—supporting farmers, families and communities through every season.
Beyond retail, Rural King remains deeply connected to the communities it serves through its foundation, the RK Foundation for Rural America. The foundation supports organizations such as 4-H, FFA, Habitat for Humanity and veterans’ groups through partnerships with the Gary Sinise Foundation and others. It also funds the Rural King Scholarship Program, which provides college scholarships to associates and their dependents, and has donated more than $1 million to Christian organizations nationwide over the past five years.
“Over the past few years, we have been fortunate to expand into more than 20 new communities, which reflects both the loyalty of our customers and the dedication of our associates,” says Steve Barbarick, president and CEO of Rural King. “As we look to the future, we’re committed to growing in the right way by investing in our people, creating a great customer experience and remaining a dependable partner for America’s farmers, families and rural communities.”
