Go to main contentsGo to search barGo to main menu
Thursday, July 3, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Ad

Kent's Celebrates 125 Years

The Legacy of Kent’s Supply Center
Kent's Celebrates 125 Years
IH Kent's moving to Fallon.
Photos courtesy of Kent's Supply.

Karla Kent has been guiding Kent’s Supply Center since 1984 when she became president of the company. She took over and continued in the footsteps of Ira Heber Kent, the founder, and her great-grandfather.

The original Kent’s Supply was started in 1892 in Stillwater, Nevada, by Ira Heber Kent, better known as I.H. Kent. At the time, Stillwater was the county seat of Churchill County. In 1906, the local government moved the county seat to Fallon. Kent moved the store to Fallon, knowing that was where the business would be. A small building was placed on skids and pulled by a 20-horse and mule team to where it sets today. This was no easy feat, as the roads from Stillwater into Fallon were not much more than wagon ruts. It would take five days to complete the move to Maine Street.

Ira would make Kent’s Store a thriving business. He supplied farmers, ranchers, townspeople, and businesses with feed, lumber, and, at that time, a grocery store, much as they still do today.

Fairview Mine was one of the businesses with a line of credit at the store. In 1915, the mine experienced some hard times, and the owner owed Ira Kent money. The two business owners struck a deal. If the mine owner gave Ira their warehouse building, it would satisfy the account, and with that, the building needed to be moved to Fallon. The building was disassembled, transported by railroad in small sections, and reconstructed in town. Thus, the historic warehouse at I.H. Kent Company came to be, with the building remaining on the property today.

Ira Longfellow Kent would be the next generation; in 1948, he would take over where his dad left off and build the business by adding a grain mill. The mill would buy feed and grain locally from the farmers and ranchers to be milled and mixed into grains for cow or horse feed, then resold or shipped out by rail to other destinations. The store would give the people selling their products to the mill a line of credit to cover their needed supplies until the next harvest year.

Thomas Kent led the store starting in 1965, taking over from his dad. He continued to buy local feed and process grains that were bagged and resold locally or shipped to other destinations. Unfortunately, the mill was shut down in 1975 as it became too expensive to keep and maintain. He began stocking building materials for homes and businesses developing in the Fallon area.

Karla Kent has been president of the corporation since 1984. Starting out of high school in 1978, she began learning the business from her dad, learning trends and new ways of doing business all along the way. She has led the company through one of the biggest building booms Fallon has seen in its 132 years. Contractors locally and in surrounding areas, as well as “do-it-yourselfers,” have used Kent’s Supply Center for all their construction needs.

Of course, she did not turn away from what built the company. Bagged animal feed is still a staple at Kent’s Supply Center.

Below: Kents who have taken the reins and built a legacy.
 

Photo


Share
Rate

Comment

Comments

July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 1
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 2
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 3
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 4
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 5
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 6
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 7
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 8
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 9
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 10
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 11
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 12
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 13
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 14
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 15
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 16
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 1Page no. 1
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 2Page no. 2
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 3Page no. 3
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 4Page no. 4
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 5Page no. 5
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 6Page no. 6
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 7Page no. 7
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 8Page no. 8
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 9Page no. 9
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 10Page no. 10
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 11Page no. 11
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 12Page no. 12
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 13Page no. 13
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 14Page no. 14
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 15Page no. 15
July 4, 2025 -Fallon Gears Up for a “Bee-autiful”  - page 16Page no. 16
COMMENTS
Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I knew Sam as a member of our church growing up. He always had a warm smile, a kind word, and a great sense of humor! He will be great missed!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:57 AMComment source: Obituary -- Samuel Bruce WickizerComment author: Mike HinzComment text: Great teacher, great coach, but even a better person!!! Rest in peace Mr. BeachComment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:53 AMComment source: Obituary -- Jack Victor Beach, Jr.Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I had Mrs Hedges for First Grade at Northside Elementary in 1969. I still, to this day, remember her as a wonderful teacher…one of my favorites!!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:29 AMComment source: Obituary - Nancy Marie Hedges C Comment author: Carl C. HagenComment text: What are MFNs and PBMs ?? ............................ From the editor: This is a very good question and we apologize for not catching that wasn't in there. We reached out to the writer/submitter and got this info back...hope it's helpful. PBM: Pharmacy Benefit Managers are pharmacies that are owned by insurance companies. (CVS is one.) They negotiate with drug makers to get reduced pricing for medications, but they historically have not passed along those savings to patients. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/pharmacy-benefit-managers-staff-report.pdf MFN: Most Favored Nation pricing is a policy that means a country agrees to offer the same trade concessions (like tariffs or price reductions) to all member nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO). When applied to pharmaceuticals, it could disrupt global access, deter innovation, and obscure the deeper systemic issues in American health care. https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2025/05/22/the-global-risks-of-americas-most-favored-nation-drug-pricing-policy/Comment publication date: 6/23/25, 7:47 AMComment source: L E T T E R TO THE EDITOR
SUPPORT OUR WORK