Kentucky's Oldest Companies

There are at least 15 Kentucky companies older than 100 years. Eleven are generational family businesses, one of which is also public (Brown-Forman); only one other public firm (Stock Yard Bancorp). Here's my list, but please leave a comment if you know of other continuously operating independent businesses.

1802 Rogers Funeral Home, Frankfort 7th generation

1817 Atkins & Pearce, Covington 7th generation

1853 Luckett & Farley, Louisville ESOP

1861 Heimerdinger Cutlery, Louisville 5th generation

1870 Brown-Forman, Louisville 5th generation & public

1896 Nugent Sand, Louisville 3rd generation

1896 Paxton Media Group, Paducah 5th generation

1904 Stock Yards Bancorp, Louisville public

1907 Lawrenceburg Supply, Lawrenceburg private

1910 Steepleton, Lexington private

1911 Dreisbach Wholesale Florist, Louisville 4th generation

1914 Rodes for Him & for Her, Louisville 5th generation

1919 Don Moore Automotive, Owensboro 4th generation

1921 Flottman Company, Crestview Hills 3rd generation

1922 Coffin Shoe Company, Knoxville 3rd/4th generations

Businesses Turning 100 in 2025

 So far I have identified 14 companies celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2025. If you know of any others, please leave a comment! For now, welcome to the Century Club:

Bartunek Hardware, Astoria NY (5th generation)

Berger Chevrolet, Grand Rapids MI (4th & 5th generation)

Brakebush Brothers, Westfiled WI (4th generation)

Burris Logistics, Milford DE (5th generation)

Bush Brothers Provision, West Palm Beach FL (5th generation)

Caterpillar, Irving TX (public)

Cheney Brothers (CBI), Riviera Beach FL (4th generation)

Delta Airlines, Atlanta GA (public)

JM Smith, Spartanburg SC

Kellog Garden Products, Carson CA (4th generation)

Lindstrom's TV & Appliance, Galesburg IL (3rd generation)

Pella Corporation, Pella IA (4th generation)

The Suter Company, Sycamore IL (employee-owned)

Torani (R. Torre & Co), San Leandro CA (3rd generation + ESOP)