Business Profile: Westchester Tool Rental, Peekskill
After more than three decades of serving the Elmsford area, Westchester Tool Rental has opened a second store in Peekskill to serve northern Westchester.
Store owner Ken Puff, his family and staff celebrated the grand opening of the new 1075 Washington St. location on Saturday, Sept. 26.
The company has been in business for 34 years, and is family owned. It was founded by Ken Puff and his parents, Bud and Anne.
“This is a special day for us, 33 years in the making” Ken Puff told those in attendance for the noon ribbon cutting ceremony.
Puff said he wished his father, who passed away a year ago, could have been at the event. “He was my best friend and my business partner,” he said.
But Puff said he was happy to be continuing the family business with his son, who will manage the new location.
“The city was very welcoming to all of us, and they made the second part of my dream come true – that my son could be here,” he said.
Ben Puff said the new location would have a larger emphasis on new equipment sales, parts and service. The store stocks rollers, pressers, booms, generators, excavators, Stihl and Husqvarna products, and also offers hydraulic hoses made to order.
“We have a lot more property here than in Elmsford, so that allows us to store more equipment,” Puff said.
The new store opened July 15, but the grand opening was scheduled for the fall to allow more people to attend, Puff said. Visitors enjoyed free hot dogs, hamburgers and snow cones, as well as a bounce castle for the kids and a raffle for $1,500 in rental credit.
The Puffs and their staff were joined by Peekskill Mayor Frank Catalina and city council members Darren Rigger and Kathy Talbot, as well as County Legislator John Testa (R/Peekskill) and state Assemblywoman Sandy Galef (D/Ossining). Testa honored the business with a certificate of merit from the Westchester County Board of Legislators.
Ben Puff said he wanted the company to be an active part of the community, and said he has also offered to fund and build a gateway sign for the entrance to the city southern border at the corner of Welcher Avenue and Washington Street. He has suggested a contest to design the sign to city leaders, but has not heard back from anyone yet,
“We’re still anxious to get that contest going,” he said.
Executive Assistant Kathy Kalabro was one of many employees on hand for the event. She said the company was very much a family affair, and not just in its ownership.
“We actually now have employees that are bringing their children to work here, so we have second generation employees as well.” Kalabro said.
The Westchester Tool Rental Peekskill store is open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, go to www.wtrrentals.com, or call (914) 739-9000.
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