LeGrand Robbins founded Robbins Electric 1910. LeGrand was involved in general maintenance in the Salt Lake Valley and was one of the few who had a working knowledge of electricity. He found himself being contacted by an ever-increasing number of residents and companies to install electric lights in their homes and businesses.

As a result, he launched his business from his home in the Avenues where he had to have two phone lines because the city had two phone companies, each serving one half of the city. In the years that followed he trained several of his sons in the trade. As a result, Waterloo Electric was established by his son Don and another son W.P. “Phil” Robbins went on to establish Central Electric Company in 1934.

When LeGrand died in 1947, Phil picked up the license and name for Robbins Electric. Twenty-four years later, Phil's sons, Michael and Peter, joined him and incorporated Robbins Central Electric Company Inc., DBA Central Electric Co. Inc.

In 1986, Michael chose another career path and Peter took over the day-to-day management. In 1993, Phil Robbins passed away and Peter and his wife now ran the day to day operations of the business until his retirement until 2018.

Since 2018 it is run by former employees of Central Electric continuing the long tradition of a locally owned and operated Utah company.