Owner: Kelly Barnhouse
Store Managers: Clay Barnhouse and Jason Barnhouse
Location: Bolivar, Mo.
History: Entrepreneur Kelly Barnhouse and her family have more than 30 years of experience serving the community of Bolivar, Mo. She and her husband Bob started small and gradually grew into a successful business.
“We sold trailers on a little lot back in 1982, and then bought this location in 1986, and we’ve been here ever since,” Kelly recalled.
A native of Bolivar, Kelly loves the area, and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. She enjoys all aspects of the business, especially working with her two sons, Clay and Jason. Both boys were raised in the business and took over when their father passed away in 2015.
“I enjoy working with the boys,” Kelly said. “They have a lot of contacts, and they sell and handle all the day to day operations.”
Providing good customer service has resulted in repeat customers, something small businesses strive for.
In addition to the balebed and trailer business, Kelly and her sons raise cattle, including Brahman, Brangus and Hereford/Brahman crossbreds.
“We enjoy working with our friends, and talking cattle,” She said when asked about the added benefits of combining their love of cattle with their business.
Products: B & B Sales and Service sell Krogmann, Besler and Chisholm Trail bale beds, E-Z Haul bale trailers, Gooseneck livestock trailers, Load Trail flatbed and utility trailers, CM truck beds, Doolittle and Bulldog trailers, and Ranch Hand truck products, plus corral panels and fencing supplies.
The Barnhouse family also owns B & B Wrecker Service. Both Clay and Jason enjoy contact with patrons, especially repeat customers. Kelly also is a loan officer at Mid-Missouri Bank in Bolivar.
Future: “We’ve been here a long time,” Kelly said. In addition to repeat customers, including those who upgrade their purchase, the business attracts people from out of the Bolivar community. The Barnhouse family will continue to provide service to the agricultural community.
