A rental business begins
Charles Barron, Sr. opened the doors with one employee and a practical idea: help local customers get the right equipment for the work ahead.
Company
Since we opened our doors in 1965, Barron's Rental Center has enjoyed steady growth and success as well as the involvement of the second generation of the Barron family.
Serving Athens since 1965
A local rental center built on practical help and dependable inventory.
Barron's supports celebrations, construction jobs, homeowner projects, and community events with rental equipment that is cared for and a team that knows how it should be used.
1965
Year founded
15
Local team members
100+
Years of combined rental experience
Our story
From one storefront to a full-service Athens rental partner.
Barron’s Rental Center was founded in 1965 by Charles Barron, Sr. who had been chief accountant at General Time. Charles Sr. wanted to pursue his dream of running his own business.
Barron started his enterprise as an A to Z Rental on Baxter Street with one full-time employee. Customers were primarily home owners and do-it-yourselfers. In 1969, Barron’s dropped his contract with A to Z and changed the name of his business to Barron’s Rental Center.
Barron’s continued to grow and change through the years. In 1982, Charlie Barron, Jr., who had worked at the store since he was a young boy, came into the business as a full-time employee. It was his dream to add full-service party and event rentals in order to meet the growing demands of the Northeast Georgia area. Another change occurred in 1988 when Charlie Barron, Jr. bought the company. Charlie graduated from Clarke Central High School in 1978 and then graduated with a degree in Business Administration from The University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business in 1982s.
Barron’s Rental Center also has developed a much more diverse clientele, including contractors, industrial interests, caterers and event planners. Charlie Barron, Jr. attributes the company’s growth to their ability to keep up with technology by offering customers the latest trends in rental services.
Barron’s Rental Center is now located on Hawthorne Avenue, employs 15 people and over the years has expanded its present location several times. In that time, Charlie Barron has doubled the size of his showroom and added warehouse room for party equipment. In 2009, Barron’s added an in-house laundry to provide care for the specialty linens, added in early 2010. To store and maintain the many tents for which Barron’s is known, a large warehouse was built in 2009 behind the Hawthorne Avenue showroom. Providing well-cared for equipment with good service continues to be Barron’s Rental Center’s goal for serving the Athens area. In 2021, Charlie passed on the keys to new owner Keith Roberson and Business Partner. They are excited to carry on the Barron’s name and history of great service for many more years!
Milestones
The growth has been steady because the work has stayed personal.
Barron's Rental Center
The business became Barron's Rental Center and started building the local reputation that still shapes the company today.
Expanded event rentals
Charlie Barron, Jr. grew the company into full-service party and event rentals for Northeast Georgia.
A new chapter
New ownership continued the Barron's name with the same focus on dependable equipment, service, and customer guidance.
Our Team
With over 100 years of combined experience in the rental industry, the employees at Barron’s Rental will be able to give you the proper recommendations that are needed for your home improvement job or the next party you are planning.
Keith Roberson
Owner & General Manager
Keith graduated from the University of Georgia. He has been the proud owner of Barron’s Rental Center for over 5 years alongside 18 years of experience in the rental industry. Keith manages day-to-day operations and looks forward to many more years of operation at Barron’s Rental Center.
Ashley Trumblay
Event Planning & Sales Management
Being the most recognizable face of Barron’s Rental Center, Ashley wears many hats and converses with almost every customer that has walked through our doors. She is over all of our event reservations and is your best resource when needing to be sure you have everything you need for your dream event.
Jeffery Buffington
Front Desk Manager
Jeff has been with Barron’s since 1993. In his time here, he has been on the delivery team, a warehouse manager, and a laundry supervisor, before becoming the front desk face of Barron's. He has over 30 years of experience here and knows our rentals inside and out. He specializes in our equipment rentals, so whatever you need to complete your home improvement project, Jeff is our guy!
Brandy Gurley
Linen, Dish and Partyware Manager
For over 10 years, Brandy has been making sure our linens are kept pressed, and our silver is polished and clean. Brandy keeps our inventory accurate and assists our delivery team in preparing anything they need for deliveries.
Teddy Fleming
Shop Manager & Mechanic
Teddy has been responsible for the upkeep and expertise of our homeowner and construction equipment for over 20 years. He services and maintains every piece of equipment that we own, and ensures that we stay up and running. If you ever have any questions about how to use a piece of equipment or the best item for your job, he's the one to ask!
Danielle Vito
Special Operations
Vito has over 10 years of event rental experience, and is Barron’s own “jack of all trades”. She helps in every department and even does woodworking for us when needed! If anyone is having trouble, Vito is a guaranteed extra set of hands.
Donell Wells
Warehouse Associate
Donell first joined the Barron’s family in 1997. Donell is responsible for being sure our tents, chairs, tables, dance floors, and more are prepared for every event, from birthdays, weddings, and other corporate events.
Jontavis Elder
Delivery Team Lead
Jontavis has been with Barron’s for 5 years and currently serves as the lead of our delivery team. He supervises deliveries, setups, and breakdowns. He makes sure every order is correct upon delivery and is available for clients to talk to regarding the setup on site.