Our History

Our business history begins over 65 years ago with Bert Herriott and his son, Merle. In 1951, Bert developed his property at the corner of Market and Bradley as a service station. Merle and his family officially opened Herriott’s Cities Service Station that year. It was just after World War II and the Korean conflict. Cars were popular, travel was becoming easier and neighborhood service stations were the growth industry of the times. 

Additional opportunity came about in the latter half of the 1950’s for Bert to rent out equipment. At the time, equipment rental was a completely novel idea. Word spread that you could rent a lawn mower from Herriott’s and before long, he was renting and repairing all types of equipment.

 

By the mid 1970’s Merle and wife Berniece were ready to add a whole new area of rental items. Under Berniece’s direction, party rental items were added. It started with a few chairs, then a few tables, then someone wanted linens, then dishes and silverware and on and on. Events1 by Herriott’s was born, later renamed Herriott's Rents, Tents, & Events. Merle's eldest son David joined the family business in the spring of 1982, followed by David’s daughter Deborah (Stumph) in early 1986, and her husband Brian many years later. 

 

In late 1986, the family decided to concentrate entirely on the emerging party and event rental business. Since then, the business has continued to grow, adding higher quality rentals and expanding our inventory.

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In 2020, Herriott's Rents, Tents, & Events faced yet another exciting change. Deb and Brian passed the baton to another local family who shared their vision. Herriott's was sold to Cheryl and Todd Lehman, and their daughter and son-in-law, Evin and Sterling Brooks. Now incorporated under Broman Resa, Herriott's continues to hold itself to the highest standards and seeks to expand its rental inventory to meet the growing needs of central Illinois. 

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