Staff at the new Robin Rents in Athens say business has already exceeded expectations despite being open less than a month.

The location at the corner of Lucas Ferry Road and U.S. 72 is the second in Limestone County and fifth in the Tennessee Valley for the equipment rental company. Robin Rents owner Ron Birdwell said he’s been asked several times since opening the East Limestone location in 2006 to open a location in Athens.

“There was a need for a rental company on this side of town,” said Evan Thomas, store manager at the new Athens location.

Thomas said since announcing the opening of the store April 28, they’ve received a very warm welcome from the community.

“Our customers are responding really well,” he said. “It’s actually been a lot busier than we expected it to be. We’re glad to be here on this side of town.”

Customers come from a variety of backgrounds, from farming and agriculture to homeowners and contractors. Robin Rents offers brush and weed mowers, pumps and generators, loaders, diggers and more — “just about anything you can think of that could be 15,000 pounds or lower,” Thomas said — with pickup and delivery options available.

“There has been a shortage of rental equipment options, and we are excited to have Robin Rents as part of our community,” Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks said of the store’s opening. “We look forward to a long relationship with their business.”

Robin Rents in Athens is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 7 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Visit robinrents.com to learn more.