RENTAL LAND FOUNDER HERE RETIRES

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- When Eugene W. Kasten established Rental Land, Inc. here, the emphasis was on lawn and garden equipment, and party items such as tables and chairs.

"That was in 1966," said Kasten, who this week announced his retirement as president and general manager from the business located at 1922 Independence. "We probably had about 200 rental items then."

Kasten has watched his business grow steadily through the years.

"It has grown to include most any type of equipment or items for rent," he said. "We have an inventory of more than 4,000 items now."

Although his retirement was effective Jan. 1, Kasten can still be found at the business two or three days a week during a transistion.

"But I'm not doing much work," he points out. "I'll be around here for while."

Kaston's son, Mark S. Kasten, who has been involved with the operation 22 years, is new general manager of the business.

"Mark started working at the store part-time while he was still in high school," said the elder Kasten."

Kasten, a native of Pocahontas, attended Jackson High School and Southeast Missouri State University. He served in the Army in Europe during World War II, and later served in the Korean Conflict.

He opened Rental Land, Inc. in 1966, at a location in the 1400 block of Independence.

"We constructed this building in 1978," he said. "The new building gave us more room, along with some outside storage space."

Kasten said the bulk of the rental equipment now is contractor equipment.