Family Owned. Community Trusted.
Serving Our Community Since 1973
Our Story: Five Decades of Trust
Founded in 1973, our family-owned business has spent over 50 years serving our community with honesty, quality, and dedication. What started as a small local record and electronics repair shop has grown into a trusted name, built on the simple promise of treating every customer like family. While times and technology have changed, our core values remain the same.
Our Journey
Founded
It all began in 1973, when a small record shop took a chance on a new idea—renting its first television. The concept quickly proved successful, inspiring Mr. Pierce to expand into rentals of other products. What started as a simple idea brought forth by Mike Pierce, soon grew into a thriving business as the rental industry began to take off.
Growing Trust
As the business grew, so did the selection of products available to customers. What began with small electronics, including televisions and VCRs, soon expanded into major home appliances. Furniture followed, giving customers even more ways to furnish and equip their homes through convenient rental options. The company continued to evolve with changing times and customer needs, eventually adding jewelry and one of the era’s most exciting new technologies—the home personal computer. With each new product category, the business reached more families and became a trusted source for products they wanted and needed. This continued growth, combined with dependable service and a commitment to treating customers right, helped build a large and loyal customer base—many of whom would return to the company again and again over the years.
Consolidated to 3 Locations
Over the years, Tel-A-Rent expanded to six locations, serving a growing number of customers and communities. However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges and changing customer needs, creating an opportunity to adapt and restructure. Tel-A-Rent consolidated its operations to three locations, allowing the company to operate more efficiently, provide even better products and service, and build a stronger foundation for the future.
Five Decades Strong
Today, Tel-A-Rent proudly continues to serve its loyal customer base while welcoming the next generation of families. Carrying on the family tradition, Kris Pierce has stepped into the role of co-owner, helping guide the company forward while preserving the values and personal service that have defined Tel-A-Rent for decades. Together, the Pierce family looks forward to building on that legacy and carrying Tel-A-Rent into its next half-century.
Meet Our Owners
Mike R Pierce
Owner & President
Experience: 30+ years in the industry
Role: Oversees daily front and back end operations
“Mike” grew up in the family business, learning the value of hard work from an early age. He did everything from sweeping floors to helping manage a restaurant, pool hall, and hotel in Mt. Vernon. He later moved to Springfield to attend what was then Southwest Missouri State (SMS), where his passion for athletics led him to major in Physical Education. Life, however, had a different path in store for Mike. While in Springfield, he met Air Force veteran and record shop owner Joe Jordan. Joe took Mike under his wing, and over the years the two developed a strong friendship and working relationship. That partnership eventually led to the formation of Tel-A-Rent. As Tel-A-Rent grew and found success, Mike eventually purchased Joe’s share of the business. What had begun as a record shop and electronics repair operation gradually evolved into Tel-A-Rent, Inc. Joe settled into a well-earned retirement, but he never became a stranger, frequently stopping by the shop to visit and catch up with the guys. Mike takes tremendous pride in Tel-A-Rent, the business he helped build, and the people who have been part of its story. Today, he continues that legacy by sharing his experience and mentoring the next generation of Tel-A-Rent team members.
Kris Pierce
Co-Owner
Role: Oversees daily front and back end operations
Kris grew up around Tel-A-Rent, and the business became a second home. Some of his earliest memories are of running around the store, playing hide-and-seek with the employees, and getting sweet treats from Joe Jordan, the man who helped start Tel-A-Rent and later sold his share of the company to Kris’s dad, Mike. From an early age, Kris got to know the people, customers, and relationships that made Tel-A-Rent what it is today. Sports were Kris’s first passion. After graduating from Kickapoo High School in 2009, he continued his athletic career at Lincoln University, an NCAA Division II school in Jefferson City. Injuries eventually shortened his playing career and brought him back to a path that had been part of his life from the beginning, Tel-A-Rent. Kris began working in and around the company at age 20, learning the business firsthand and gaining an appreciation for what it takes to serve customers and build lasting relationships. At different points, he stepped away from the family business and gained valuable experience in the telecommunications industry, primarily in sales and customer service. Those experiences helped shape his approach to business and strengthened his ability to work with people, solve problems, and take care of customers. In October 2023, Kris returned to Tel-A-Rent with the opportunity to take on a larger role in the company and help lead it into its next chapter. Today, as Co-Owner and Account Manager, Kris is involved in the day-to-day business while working directly with customers and continuing to build the relationships that have kept Tel-A-Rent going for more than 50 years. He takes pride in the history of the company, but he is also focused on where it goes from here. For Kris, that means taking care of customers, supporting the employees who make the business possible, staying involved in the community, and continuing to earn the trust that generations of customers have placed in Tel-A-Rent. His goal is to respect the foundation that was built before him while bringing his own experience, work ethic, and personality to the business. More than anything, Kris wants to make sure Tel-A-Rent continues to be a company people can count on and a part of the community for generations to come.
Meet Our Team
Clay H Trevino
Corporate Operations Manager
Experience: 25+ years in the industry
Role: Oversees daily business operations & IT
Clay Trevino has been a part of Tel-A-Rent since 2005 and currently oversees operations at the company’s Springfield corporate office. Over the years, he has taken on a wide range of responsibilities, including general management, customer service, account management, marketing and advertising, network and computer support, website management, and social media. A U.S. Navy/Naval Reserve Veteran, Clay brings the values of honor, courage, commitment, and hard work into both his professional and personal life. His background also includes education and training in business, technology, criminal justice, and exercise science, giving him a diverse set of skills and experiences. Clay believes strongly in continued growth, building genuine relationships, and treating people with respect. Whether working with customers, employees, or the community, he takes pride in being someone others can count on and in helping Tel-A-Rent continue to grow and serve the people of Southwest Missouri.
Springfield
Austin Batson
Account Manager
Jak Gilmore
Account Manager
George Ramos
Driver/Collections
Cooper
Store Mascot & "Owner"
Ozark
James Dalton
Store Manager
James Miller
Driver/Collections
Republic
Ryan Pierce
Store Manager
Steven Weiner
Asst.MGR,Driver/Collections
The Tel-A-Rent Difference
50+ Years in Business
A proven track record of reliability since 1973.3
Family Operated
Personally invested leadership on-site every single day.
Licensed & Insured
Fully Insured and certified to Missouri business standards.
Community First
Proudly supporting our local community and our military for five decades.
