AcceptanceNow history

The company grew quickly—by 1936, the firm had gone public and had tens of thousands of customers.

A 1962 Time Magazine article marveled at the concept, which was nothing like the way that televisions were sold in the United States at the time:

Eventually, the company (which merged with the consumer electronics giant Thorn Electrical Industries in 1968) expanded its reach beyond even televisions, to all kinds of consumer electronics.

The company with the name Rent-a-Center isn’t the same one that was founded in 1973.

That firm was eventually renamed Renters Choice. Its current CEO has been associated with the company since 1979.

1986 Mark Speese, a former employee of Rent-A-Center, started Vista Rent-To-Own with two partners, operating stores primarily in Puerto Rico and New Jersey.

1989 Ernie Talley acquired a controlling interest in Vista Rent-To-Own.

1993 Vista Rent-To-Own changed its name to Renters Choice, Inc.

1995 Renters Choice went public on the NASDAQ stock market under the symbol "RCII."

1996 Renters Choice acquired ColorTyme, a franchisor of rent-to-own stores.

A 1998 Bloomberg News report notes that at the time of Rent-a-Center’s sale to Renters Choice, the company was facing multiple class-action suits over its incredibly high interest rates—leading to Thorn’s decision to unload.

2002 Rent-A-Center transferred all Wisconsin store operations to a newly founded subsidiary, Get It Now!, which generates installment credit sales through a retail transaction.

2005 The first Acceptance Now kiosk opened in an Ashley Furniture HomeStore in Orlando, Florida.

2006 Rent-A-Center acquired RentWay.

2010 Rent-A-Center enters Mexico with a store opening in Reynosa.

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