Kent was never a "house brand". The Kent brand dates back to 1958 and since it's beginning has been owned by Kent International. The company is headquartered in New Jersey, where the bicycles were originally manufactured. Over the years, the bicycles also been manufactured by various Asian sources, though the company has recently brought back manufacturing to a California factory. The Kent brand was marketed through various large retail chains, which may have given the impression that it was a house brand but these retailers did not own the brand, so Kent should not be considered a house brand. It's worth noting that Kent International has revived and now owns two brands familiar to many C& V members; Shogun and Takara.