Rural King Celebrates 65 Years of Serving Rural Communities

Anniversary event runs Aug. 7-20 with giveaways, deals and community celebrations

MATTOON, Ill., Aug. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rural King, America's largest privately owned farm and home retailer, is kicking off its 65th anniversary celebration this August, commemorating more than six decades of service to America's rural communities with giveaways, deals and community events from Aug. 7-20.

What began in 1960 as a single store founded by farmers Kermit Speer and Keith Beaird has grown into a trusted retailer with 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 is hosting a two-week anniversary celebration from Aug. 7 through Aug. 20. Customers can enjoy 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 shop 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," said 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."

Today, Rural King continues to serve as a cornerstone for rural life, offering trusted brands like Carhartt, Blackstone, Ariat, Diamond Pet Foods, Mobil Delvac, Milwaukee Tool, Walnut Creek Foods and Henry Rifles. Its 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.

"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," said 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."

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.

The company's 65th anniversary also highlights its continued evolution, with investments in customer experience through mobile and self-checkout options, e-commerce expansion and a growing footprint across the Midwest and Southeast.

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For more details on Rural King's 65th anniversary celebrations, including store events and sweepstakes information, visit ruralking.com.

About Rural King, Inc.
Rural King, also known as RK Holdings, LLP, planted its roots as America's Farm and Home Store in Mattoon, Illinois in 1960. Since that time, Rural King has grown to more than 140 stores in fourteen states. By the end of 2025, the company will have 150 locations in 17 states. Rural King offers the lowest prices on a broad range of essential goods, food, feed, seed and other farm and home necessities to the communities we serve throughout Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. We welcome and encourage everyone to enjoy our longstanding tradition of offering free popcorn and coffee every time you visit our stores.

SOURCE Rural King