Tents used during an event in the summer of 2016. (Photo courtesy Kent Tent)Tents used during an event in the summer of 2016. (Photo courtesy Kent Tent)
Chatham

Local Tent Business Stretches Over CK

With a growing interest in holding outdoor events, the expansion of a local tent industry comes just in time for spring.

Kent Tent (based in Blenheim) has recently announced the purchase of Chatham Tent Rentals.

Owner Nick Warriner told BlackburnNews.com that the expansion has been something he and his siblings/co-owners Lynne and Paul have been working on for a while.

"We looked at this as an opportunity to increase our inventory items and this just gives us a better opportunity to service all of Chatham-Kent," says Warriner.

The opportunity to purchase Chatham Tent Rentals came through conversations held with owners Toni Gernaey and Lou Ann Smeenk in December 2016.

"They were looking to retire but wanted to transfer their customers to a good local company," says Warriner. "The fit just seemed to work and the timing was right."

The purchase was officially completed in February 2017, however, the announcement was put off so Gernaey and Smeenk could notify their customers.

“We have been proud to be part of so many celebrations in the community over the years," says Gernaey in a media release. "We will miss helping to make those events special and memorable for our customers."

Now, the number of tents acquired by Kent Tent has put them up from 16 tents to 24 -- all which range in size.

"In our ownership over the past three years we found that there's been significantly more outdoors weddings, there seems to be a lot of community festivals where tents are needed," says Warriner. "Also, a lot of local businesses -- especially in the agricultural sector use a lot of tents for their business functions throughout the summer."

Warriner adds they tend to see an increase in tent, table and chair rentals between May and October.

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