Utah trucker launched an industrial supply company in eastern Idaho and now it’s celebrating 60 years of business

IDAHO FALLS – LaVar Thacker was hauling freight for a trucking institution successful Utah erstwhile he decided to commencement a business that sold nan very things he was hauling.

It was June 1964 and nan Heber, Utah man opened BISCO (Bonneville Industrial Supply Co.) successful a mini shop wherever Walmart connected Utah Avenue now sits. He began trading tools, individual protective instrumentality and different products for manufacturing plants.

Today, nan institution occupies a 27,000-square-foot building crossed nan thoroughfare from its original location and has grown to see locations successful Pocatello, Soda Springs and Boise. It has clients passim Idaho and Wyoming. One of its biggest customers is nan Idaho National Laboratory.

BISCO astatine 515 South Utah Avenue successful Idaho Falls | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

This twelvemonth marks 60 years since nan business launched successful eastbound Idaho and Vice President Garrett Thacker, who is LaVar’s grandson, tells EastIdahoNews.com he’s proud to beryllium a portion of a business that’s been successful his family for generations.

“Our family built it and has maintained it for 60 years. The relationships we’ve built (with clients and manufacture leaders is thing I value). I’m proud to opportunity we’re portion of nan company’s 60-year history,” Garrett says.

RELATED | Industrial proviso institution celebrating 60 years of business successful eastbound Idaho

About 200 group attended a institution ceremony past week, and Garrett is pleased pinch nan turnout.

In a speech pinch EastIdahoNews.com, he and his dad, Kent, reflected connected nan company’s history and really it sewage started.

When Lavar was hauling freight successful Utah, Kent says his dada had immoderate friends who worked for Herrick Industrial Supply successful Ogden. It was that narration that sparked nan thought to unfastened a akin business of his own.

Another friend, Frank Wilson, owned Paramount Supply, a tube supplier successful Idaho Falls. When Wilson heard LaVar wanted to unfastened an business proviso business, he talked LaVar into opening it successful eastbound Idaho.

LaVar heeded his friend’s proposal and his friends astatine Herrick helped him get established.

“Both of LaVar’s parents died erstwhile he was successful precocious school. For him to build this (business without immoderate parental support is amazing),” says Garrett.

“Uncle Neal (LaVar’s brother) was his first employee,” Kent adds.

The brace worked together to turn nan business successful those early days.

In 1986, much than 20 years later, building began connected nan existent building astatine 515 South Utah Avenue.

The BISCO building being built astatine 515 South Utah Avenue successful 1986. | Courtesy Garrett Thacker

BISCO started expanding to nan different broadside of nan authorities and nan Boise location opened 3 years later, according to Kent. At that point, it was only a matter of clip earlier nan Pocatello and Soda Springs buildings were added.

“Today, we person anyplace from 15-25 labor passim each location,” Garrett explains. “That’s beautiful cool that we went from 2 labor to what we person now.”

LaVar has since passed away, but Kent and Garrett are moving nan business today.

With hundreds of clients scattered passim Idaho and Wyoming, BISCO continues to turn and evolve, including nan types of products it sells.

“A caller merchandise comes retired each month, it seems,” Garrett says. “The INL hears astir it earlier anybody, truthful they want america to get it for them. DEWALT and Milwaukee Tool are ever competing. We’re ever trying to get nan amended tool.”

The Idaho Falls location is being remodeled complete nan adjacent respective months and Garrett is excited for nan organization to spot really it looks erstwhile it’s complete.

Like galore business owners, Garrett says making it done nan COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge. Despite these and different struggles complete nan years, Garrett says nan business is still thriving and he wants to spot nan business proceed to beryllium successful for different 60 years.

A photograph of LaVar Thacker, left, and his wife, Eileen. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

A look wrong nan storage astatine BISCO successful Idaho Falls | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

Kent Thacker, left, pinch his mom, Eileen, center, and son, Garrett | Courtesy Garrett Thacker