The Spokane company that owns five Sun Rental Center outlets here has opened a sixth location in Airway Heights.

The company, TJH Enterprises Inc., had been looking for a store location on the West Plains for some time, and saw an opportunity to step into that market when national equipment rental chain United Rentals Inc. closed its Airway Heights location earlier this year, says Mitch Watkins, vice president at TJH.

The new Sun Rental outlet is occupying a 2,500-square-foot leased building, at 14024 W. U.S. 2. The property, located on the west side of Airway Heights, formerly housed a Tesoro gas station, Watkins says. An employee from one of the company's other stores has been promoted to manage the new branch, and TJH is adding two additional staff members there.

Altogether, TJH has about 20 full-time employees year-round, but doubles its staff during the busy summer months.

The location might be temporary for the new branch. Watkins says TJH will continue to look for a larger location in Airway Heights, but for now will keep a small inventory of power tools, lawn, garden, and light construction equipment, as well as a small amount of special event items at the new store.

If customers request anything it doesn't have in stock, the store will bring in equipment from other Sun Rental locations, he says.

In addition to rentals, the store also will sell propane and some safety equipment such as gloves.

Watkins says that although there has been a slowdown in rentals by contractors at its other five stores, it is seeing an uptick in rentals by homeowners who are taking on remodeling projects themselves.

TJH also operates Sun Rental Center outlets at 5019 S. Palouse Highway on the South Hill; 16701 E. Sprague east of Spokane Valley; 10717 N. Division, just north of Spokane; 2605 N. Highway 41, in Post Falls; and 7080 N. Government Way, in Coeur d'Alene.

Last year, the company consolidated one of its smaller locations in Spokane Valley with its East Sprague location, Watkins says.

He says TJH hopes to open another outlet next year, but declines to say where that new outlet would be.

There are close to 10 other Sun Rental Center locations in the Inland Northwest, including in Colville, Sandpoint, Pullman, the Tri-Cities, and in Kalispel, Mont.

The stores are owned separately from TJH's outlets, and the owners have licensing agreements with Richard Mayer, the Spokane Valley-based founder of Sun Rental Center, Watkins says.