MARSHALL — Runnings, a Minnesota-based retailer, has recently reached an agreement to purchase R.P. Home & Harvest, a family-owned company with 22 locations and one distribution facility across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Upon completion of this acquisition, the Runnings footprint will expand to 80 locations, serving customers in 12 states from New York to Montana.
“From the customers and the communities to the employees and vendors, we truly feel this is an excellent opportunity for everyone involved,” said Brian Odegaard, Runnings president, in a news release. “These stores and communities are very similar to the markets we presently serve and, after many discussions with R.P. Home & Harvest’s leadership, both companies knew this would be a great fit from a culture, values, and operations standpoint.”
Runnings is a privately held retailer founded in 1947 and owned by the Dennis and Adele Reed family. There are currently 58 stores that employ more than 2,700 workers across eight states, according to the news release
Items sold at Runnings stores include pet supplies, sporting goods, clothing and footwear, lawn and garden supplies, housewares, tools, farm supplies, toys and outdoor equipment.
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R.P. Home & Harvest was founded in 2021, and operates 22 farm and ranch stores and one distribution center across four states. According to the news release, the company is an affiliate of R.P. Lumber Company, a family-owned home center and building materials retailer based in Edwardsville, Illinois, that operates more than 80 locations throughout Illinois, Missouri, Wyoming, Iowa and Wisconsin.
According to the announcement, the transaction between Runnings and R.P. Home & Harvest is scheduled to close in June. The stores will continue operating as R.P. Home & Harvest for a limited period of time as Runnings transitions the stores to their well-known brand.
“It’s pretty amazing how quickly this all came together,” said Jason Plummer, president of R.P. Home & Harvest, in the release. “Just a couple of months ago this wasn’t even on the radar, but when a win-win opportunity appears, it is an exciting thing.
Plummer said Runnings is well-regarded by customers and competitors.
"We are both family-owned companies and that means a lot to us. This deal would not have come together if we did not have the utmost confidence that Runnings will do a phenomenal job for all stakeholders.”
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