About Brian DeCoster
Brian DeCoster founded Big Ten Rentals in 1981 while attending the University of Iowa. What began as a small operation renting compact refrigerators out of his dorm room quickly grew beyond a student side hustle. By 1986 the demand had turned the venture into a full-time business, prompting a move to a commercial location and the addition of tents to the inventory. The company has continued to expand and now operates from its main showroom and warehouse at 1820 Boyrum Street in Iowa City, with additional storage facilities in Cosgrove and Davenport that house an extensive inventory of party and event equipment.
Today Big Ten Rentals is one of Iowa’s largest and most established providers of tents, bleachers, staging, flooring, audio/visual equipment, lighting, food-service items, and interactive entertainment. The company’s inventory fills more than 40,000 square feet and supports events ranging from intimate gatherings to large-scale corporate functions, university events, festivals, and political rallies across Iowa and the broader Midwest.
In 1991 Brian launched what became known as the Magic Bus. The traveling tailgate setup earned national recognition when Sports Illustrated named it the number-one tailgate party in its April 28, 1997 issue. That same spirit of creating memorable experiences continues to shape how Big Ten Rentals approaches every event.
Beyond the rental business, Brian owns and operates multiple companies with locations throughout Iowa, including storage facilities, laundromats, and real estate holdings. This broader entrepreneurial background informs the practical, no-nonsense approach that has guided Big Ten Rentals for more than four decades.
From a single dorm-room refrigerator to a major Midwest event-rental operation, Brian’s story reflects steady growth, hands-on leadership, and a long track record of delivering reliable equipment and service for events of every size.
