Business ProfileforThe ROP Shop

In 1987 Steve Gerber started his journey to fulfill a dream he’d had since he was a young man working for his father’s landscaping business. He and his wife, Gayla, ran their brand new business out of there country home and in 1990 were able to expand by purchasing a small engine shop near downtown Bluffton, IN. This expansion allowed them to sell equipment as well as provide landscaping services. In 1992 they relocated again and by 1996 they had added another line of power equipment, purchased a seeding company, and added snow removal services, and built a brand new building to accommodate their growth. In 2009 Steve’s Landscape Lawn & Garden Equipment, Inc. became Outdoor Concepts Inc. and moved to a new building on Main Street where they still remain today.

During the move into the new building a stack of old manuals was discovered. Through eBay, Steve and Gayla’s son, Landon, was able to sell the manuals along with some other items they didn’t want to move from the old location. In the process The ROP Shop was born and since then it has grown exponentially. In 2013 they hired their first full time employee and started listing items on Amazon later that year. In 2018 Walmart.com became their 3rd marketplace and as of January 2020 they have 40 employees. Their inventory, which started out with a few lawn and garden parts, has exploded and includes parts for outdoor equipment of all kinds, from mowers to pressure washers, boats, atv’s, garage doors, snow plows and more.

The Gerbers will be the first to tell you that the growth their company has experienced is a blessing from God. From community service and outreach to simply running a Christ-centered business, they’ve been able to add ministry to their extensive list of services. As they hire more employees, renovate their space to fit more people and products, and remain a forerunner in the industry they continue to be vocal about their gratefulness.