CRYSTAL LAKE – Ed Thennes started out delivering fuel oil in McHenry in 1956, but the growing popularity of natural gas forced him to find another way to support his family. 

He owned a large collection of tools and was good at fixing things. Frequently asked to lend out his tools, he decided to open a rental business. Ed’s Rental & Sales Inc. was incorporated in 1959. It now has three stores in McHenry County.

In the beginning, when a customer asked if Thennes had a specific tool or piece of equipment, he would often say it was being rented out, but would be available later in the day. He would then run to a local hardware store, buy the item and rent it out, said son Tom Thennes, who at 75 is still involved in the family business.