Rural King to invest in new aviation hangar at Coles County Memorial Airport

MATTOON, Ill. (WAND) - Rural King will be investing the development of a new private aviation hangar along with the Coles County Memorial Airport.

The airport said the new hangar will allow for more efficient travel for associates.

By the end of 2025, Rural King will have 150 locations across 17 states, supported by 9,000 associates.

For over 18 years, the company has had aviation based at the Coles County Memorial Airport. Now, more space is needed to centralize operations.

The new hangar will let Rural King associates travel more frequently from Coles County.

“The success of our business relies upon our Mattoon team working closely with our retail and distribution locations, and our vendor partners,” said Owner and Chairman Alex Melvin. “We want our teams in the field, but we also want to make sure they get home as safely and quickly as possible.”

Airport Manager Andrew Fearn said, “Coles County Memorial Airport and our Airport Authority Board is excited to enter into this agreement with Rural King. We see great potential in this opportunity to showcase the airport as a true gateway to Coles County and an asset to the continued economic impact and growth in the area. We want to highlight our role as team players, working together to bring new opportunities to our communities.”

“Building a new hangar is more than just expanding our current space,” added Melvin. “It’s about continued investment in the infrastructure of our home region, a place our company has called home for nearly 65 years.”