Partners For Success Program

The Central Coast CLCA is greatly indebted to the ongoing support of our Partners For Success. This smart group of landscape suppliers knows their investment in our chapter pays great dividends in long term relationships with our landscaper members, their clients. Partners receive free or discounted entries to chapter events, targeted advertising to members and many opportunities throughout the year to communicate their product knowledge and expertise.

Featured Partner

Robert H. Pedersen — A Tool Shed, Inc.

A Tool Shed, Inc. Celebrates 75 Years In Business

It was 1945 soon after the end of World War II when Robert “Bob” and Geneva Mac Ardell moved from Minneapolis, Minnesota to the small apricot orchard-farming town of Sunnyvale, California. They opened a surplus store named “White Elephant Sales” at the corner of what are now El Camino Real and Wolf Road, to serve the growing population of veterans returning from the war. Money was short all around and the housing market was booming. Many new homeowners needed items they carried but could not afford to buy such things as generators, table saws, and other power tools so they decided to rent some of the more expensive items. One thing lead to another and before you know it Bob was making towable concrete mixers from old washing machine drums and car axles retrieved from the local junkyard. In 1948, the name changed to A Tool Shed and the focus became equipment rentals.

Larry and Bonnie Pedersen, Bob and Geneva’s daughter and son-in-law, took over the leadership of the family business in 1964 when Bob passed away. Over the next 44 years, he grew the business from a single location in Cupertino to ten equipment rental locations and three party rental stores. His daughter-in-law, Barbara Pedersen, spun off and ran the party rental stores known as A Party Place.

The leadership transferred to Robert and Barbara Pedersen in 2008 when Larry, Robert’s father, unexpectedly passed away. They were able to reduce the size of the company during the economic recession and keep the family business alive. With the turnaround in the economy, they were able to open a new location in Salinas and grow the business into what you see today.

This past year a 4th generation of leadership joined the family business, LTCDR Rob “Woo” Pedersen, a graduate of Bellarmine High School, San Jose. Woo graduated from The United States Naval Academy, Annapolis with a masters degree in International Relations from UC San Diego. He retired from active duty as a naval flight officer and is now our vice president and general manager.

This year A Tool Shed, Inc. will be celebrating its 75th year in business with monthly specials, BBQs and customer giveaways. Join up with A Tool Shed on social media to keep posted on these events and more at:
www.facebook.com/AToolShedInc
https://twitter.com/AToolShed
www.youtube.com/user/atoolshed
www.atoolshed.com

Robert H. Pedersen, president and CEOA Tool Shed, Inc.
robertpedersen@atoolshed.com

3700 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95062 | (831) 477-7793 ext. 206 | Fax (408) 200-1851