Although Reynolds Farm Equipment has grown substantially since Mac and Arline Reynolds started the company in 1955, the founders’ grandson, Mike Lawson, said the business retains its family values.
Reynolds Farm Equipment was launched after Mac Reynolds, who worked in the dairy industry, and was approached by the owner of a local John Deere business about purchasing the business. Mac decided to do so.
“They had been in farming and done the dairy business, but they never ran a business,” said Lawson, who manages the company’s public relations. “But they were very honed into their Christianity and faith and prayed about the decision and went into business. They started out with about five employees in December 1955.”
The original Reynolds Farm Equipment was on 116th Street west of Interstate 69. The business operated out of that location until the Fishers store at 126th Street and Ind. 37 was built in 1972.
“From there, we had gotten a couple other locations as we grew the business,” Lawson said.
In the 1990s, Reynolds Farm Equipment began experimenting in the John Deere golf and turf division and the construction division but discontinued in 1996.
“At that point, we were expanding and we bought into a group of dealerships made up of us and two other John Deere dealers around the area at the time with Indy Tractor, and each business still had Reynolds farm equipment,” Lawson said. “That lasted six or seven years, and we decided to split those apart from Indy Tractor.”
After splitting from Indy Tractor, Reynolds Farm Equipment built a new headquarters at U.S. 31 and 276th Street in Atlanta, Ind. It operates dealerships in Fishers, Lebanon, Mooresville and Muncie.
“It’s always been about family,” Lawson said. “It was about being able to sell an excellent product backed by great service and fair prices, but we always pride ourselves on treating customers as one of our own. Our customers are our friends.”
Mac Reynolds died in 2008, and Arline Reynolds died in 2013.
For more on Reynolds Farm Equipment, visit reynoldsfarmequipment.com.
