GREAT BEND, Kan. — Sometimes a successful business isn’t born from the first idea. It’s built by paying attention, adapting and refusing to quit.
That has been the path for The Bin Wranglers, a growing Great Bend business owned by Wrangler Walker. What began two years ago with Walker knocking on thousands of doors and testing a simple bin-related service has evolved into a rapidly expanding waste service company with employees, hundreds of customers, new equipment and plans for continued growth.
Walker’s original concept was helping customers roll their trash bins to the curb. When demand wasn’t there, he pivoted to bin cleaning. That experience ultimately helped him recognize a much larger opportunity: providing residential trash service while incorporating the convenience-focused services that had inspired the business in the first place.
The idea caught on.
In just the past six months, Walker said The Bin Wranglers has more than tripled. Growth came so quickly that the company’s original dump-trailer operation could no longer keep pace. What once required a trip to the landfill about once a week eventually became four or five trips a day.
That demand led to another significant investment: the company’s first dedicated trash truck.
Now, The Bin Wranglers is already adding a second truck, nearly 250 new residential bins and 40 commercial dumpsters as the company prepares for its next stage of growth. Walker’s goal is to reach 500 customers by the end of 2026 while maintaining the personal service that helped build the company.
The business combines weekly trash collection with services intended to make an everyday chore easier, including bin rollout and quarterly deep cleaning. Residential service starts at $25 per month for weekly pickup or $35 per month for twice-weekly pickup, with additional bins available for an added monthly charge. Commercial dumpster service is also being added.
Walker’s entrepreneurial journey also has local roots. He previously participated in IGNITE Rural Business, an entrepreneurship program designed to help emerging business owners develop and strengthen their ideas. Today, his growing company is creating jobs, investing in equipment and keeping a locally owned service rooted in Great Bend.
“The Bin Wranglers is a great example of what entrepreneurship really looks like—not every first idea is the final idea,” said Megan Barfield, President and CEO of the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce. “Wrangler listened to the market, adapted and continued investing when he saw an opportunity. That kind of persistence and local business growth strengthens our entire community.”
The company’s trajectory aligns with the Chamber’s Elevate GBK Beyond Today strategic plan, particularly its focus on Business & People Retention and Membership Development & Support. Supporting entrepreneurs as they establish roots, create jobs and grow sustainable businesses helps build a stronger local economy and creates more reasons for people to build their futures in Barton County.
The Great Bend Chamber of Commerce recently joined Walker, Chamber Ambassadors and community supporters to celebrate that growth with a ribbon cutting. Rather than marking the beginning of the business, the occasion recognized how far The Bin Wranglers has already come—and the investment underway for what comes next.
The Bin Wranglers currently serves primarily Great Bend, with some service extending north along U.S. 281 and into the Hart’s Corner area. Walker hopes to continue expanding into surrounding rural areas as customer density allows for additional routes.
About The Bin Wranglers
The Bin Wranglers is a locally owned waste service company providing residential trash pickup, bin rollout and cleaning services in the Great Bend area, with commercial dumpster service being added as the company expands. For more information about The Bin Wranglers or to inquire about residential or commercial service, call (620) 314-8908, email [email protected], or visit binwranglersks.com.
