# Feed store names



## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

So my best friend and I have a pretty solid business plan in motion and are planning on opening our own feed store. We are both super knowledgeable. I have had horses my whole life. And he went to school for equine business management where he took equine nutrition. 
There are no stores in our area that carry a wide variety of feed AND hay. So that is where we plan to start... however... we want a catchy, stick with you kinda name... 

We though about incorporating our names in it... make a brand out of it... something. It will be more western. 
Our names are 
Briana Tribett and Austin Roberts. . . So if you creative folks have any ideas.... let's brainstorm


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Whatever you name your business, make sure it has Feed and Hay in the name. 

There's a small store I pass regularly called . . . I can't remember. Something like Akiro? It has frosted windows with an arty image of what looks like a trowel on it. I have not one clue what that store sells. I can't even google it. 

So don't do that. Braustin Feed & Hay? Sounds western enough to me.


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## ShirtHotTeez (Sep 23, 2014)

Tribett & Roberts Equine Nutrition & More

Tribett & Roberts Feed & Hay (with horse logo)

down the track you may do dog food, cattle feed, chickens, goats, cats, rabbits etc


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

It doesn't need to be catchy it just needs to indicate that it's feed and hay, and you're going to need a decent variety with reasonable prices. Nothing worse than a 'boutique' style feed store with exorbitant prices and a poor selection. 

Make sure you carry some farm supplies as well. I want to only make one stop, not run all over creation getting feed, hay, and supplies.

A successful business model is Tractor Supply Co. They always try to conform to the community in which they put a store, but always have a familiar layout and products.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

I'm a graphic designer so it's easier for me to visualize a logo and come up with something memorable visually than catchy names, but I wanna give it a try, I love brain storming. 

Aubett Feed Co.
Aubett Feed & Supply
Tribert Feed & Supply
Britin Feed & Supply
The Sprig Feed Co. 
First Harvest Feed

I actually like Braustin for name combos. 

The Feed Company. The feed store I get my horse's grain from is just called "The Feed Store" lol. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Werecat said:


> I'm a graphic designer so it's easier for me to visualize a logo and come up with something memorable visually than catchy names, but I wanna give it a try, I love brain storming.
> 
> Aubett Feed Co.
> Aubett Feed & Supply
> ...


of these names Britin is the only one that I would remember.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

I like Braustin Feed and supply. I would remember any name if it's a store that I like to go to.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

> . Company. The feed store I get my horse's grain from is just called "The Feed Store" lol.


^^^^^This.

Have you heard of the Horsemen's KISS principle? It's popular amongst us old timers. 

"Keep It Simple Stupid".

I do not want to have to remember something fancy. "The Feed Store" works for me.

The privately owned feed store in my county is named after the town it is on the edge of. Same with the privately owned feed store in the next county over.

Fancy names can be for tack shops. Keep the feed store names simple. Real farmers and horse owners don't care one bit about a name. They want to easily remember it ANND know they can get product that is fresh without bugs or mold spores flying out when they open a bag of feed or a bale of hay


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

The Feed Bag


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## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

Can I ask if either of y'all have work experience in a feed store? Feed stores carry so much more than just _horse _feed and hay. Are you knowledgeable about cow feed? Rabbit feed? Goat feed? What do you know about fertilizers? Crop Seeds? Pesticides? Feed Stores do so much more than cater to 1 industry, lots of feed stores fail for this reason alone.
I am not trying to be Donnie Downer, and pee all over your parade I just didn't see it mentioned, and felt like it needed to be asked. I wish you the best, it has long been my dream to have own feed/ tack store. We are just saturated in this area.


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## WestCoasted (Jan 19, 2016)

Welp, I'm not going to tell you you're crazy because others have successfully started feed stores. I think Stateline Tack was started as a family business before being bought out by Petsmart.

I have an MBA specializing in New Venture creation from a large university. (lol, if you don't believe me just PM me, I'll add you on linkedin.) My masters thesis was a business plan and presentation to Angel investors. Please feel free to PM me if you need any advice.

Okay, I'm a little surprised you've written your business plan without a name. But it's easily fixed. The name doesn't really matter. Choose something direct and obvious and don't fall in love with it. You may have to change it during the investing, trademarking, and licensing process, so you'll want to have a few variations available. KISS, as someone said earlier. 

Next, brace yourself, turn your safe search off, and google it.

My personal preference is not to use personal names, since it makes the business slightly harder to sell. Yes, you will want to sell someday.

I may be totally off base saying this, but if there is any romantic connection between you and your partner, watch out. Love and business are terrible bed-fellows. I apologize for making assumptions about you two.

The other advice I'll give is to borrow your friend's school books on Business and Marketing. Knowledge and preparation are how you avoid being in the 60% of small businesses that fail.


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## WestCoasted (Jan 19, 2016)

walkinthewalk said:


> ^^^^^This.
> 
> Have you heard of the Horsemen's KISS principle? It's popular amongst us old timers.
> 
> "Keep It Simple Stupid".


Ha! Ha! I always thought it was a Navy term. That's where I learned it. Maybe it's universal. Goodness knows there has been alot of cowboy sailors.

My other favorite is the 7 P's of preparation:
Proper
Prior
Planning
Prevents
**** (sorry!)
Poor
Performance


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## ShirtHotTeez (Sep 23, 2014)

When you need to be diplomatic you can use "Keep It Simple Sweetheart"


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## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

Oh we both work at a feed retailer now. He's managed a feed store. It wouldn't be just horse. And i know variety and price are important. There's not a single feed store in my area yiu can buy good hay and feed at. That's what has us planning. Right now we are assistant managers for a huge company. So retail is our strong suit. So woth our backgrounds (me growing up with horses. Him with cattle and hogs. And his schooling) customer service and management experience... we have a good idea. And as a horse owner... I hate that I have to go to 3 different places. And all in ol another county than where I live.


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## Cowgirlupyup (Jan 31, 2016)

A & B grain and hay.
Florida feed.
AB's hay and grain.








https://www.canva.com/design/DABqaJ...re&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=sharebutton


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## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

WestCoasted said:


> Welp, I'm not going to tell you you're crazy because others have successfully started feed stores. I think Stateline Tack was started as a family business before being bought out by Petsmart.
> 
> I have an MBA specializing in New Venture creation from a large university. (lol, if you don't believe me just PM me, I'll add you on linkedin.) My masters thesis was a business plan and presentation to Angel investors. Please feel free to PM me if you need any advice.
> 
> ...


No worries... no romance. Just friends. And our friendship is way more valuable... one woulx sell to the other before tearing the business apart. We both run our own stores right now (we have 80% of the responsibility of the business.)... Although not with our own money. We still have the responsibility of p&ls and payroll. His grandmother is also a business major. So we have a pretty good backing... but I may accept your offer.... when we realky get the ball rolling.


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## WestCoasted (Jan 19, 2016)

It's good that you are both running you stores right now. But I have to ask, if there are two complimentary feed stores within commuting distance, how do you plan to lure their customers away? It sounds like you plan to differentiate on convenience as a one stop shop. Have you done the demographics and population density research to back up your customer base estimates? You'll need that data when you apply for a loan or other funding. Reread your SWOT analysis in your business plan. If you haven't fully explored your threats and weaknesses, the bank will point them out for you (not in a good way). Keep in mind also that farmers/horse mpeople tend to be loyal to their feed stores, which will affect your initial market share. 

Another point to keep in mind is that because you can't leverage your size like CAL or TSC, your supply side costs are going to be higher. In order to even remain competitive, you are going to have to keep your margins real close to your breakeven. That means you and your partner are going to be doing several jobs you thought you'd hire other people to do and you aren't going to get paid much. So, say goodbye to your personal life and horse life for a couple years.

A note about selling. A business plan without an exit strategy isn't going to get far. I'm alittle worried that you see selling as breaking up the business. Maybe I misunderstood. The business will probably be liquidated if you go bankrupt. IPO's only happen in <1% of small businesses, so I wouldn't worry about that. If you are lucky, what will happen, if you are successful, is a larger company will come in and make an offer to buy as a whole. Or, it will slowly peter out. They may liquidate after that, but that's not your problem anymore. 

I realize that right now this store looks like the rest of your lives. That will look different after 5 years of 80 hour weeks and no vacations. Especially with a big ol' chunk of cash sitting right there waiting for you to spend on your next passion, business or other pursuit. Keep in mind, buying one another out depends on either having enough cash equivalent to half the value of the business and the bank must approve the transfer.

I'm not trying to discourage you, but there is a reason most people don't open small businesses.

I wouldn't send you out on a cross country course without telling you the jumps. I'm not going to advise you about starting a small business without mentioning the hurdles. 

I fully believe that you can do it. I just want you to know that it's a hard row to hoe. But it is rewarding, both fiscally and mentally


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## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

He had to move close to two hours away for his store. And i drive an hour one way for mine. And it's still not a one stop shop. We sell feed but no hay. In our county (he wants to move back home lol). There is literally no feed stores that anyone really likes. Nor offers a good selection of hay and feed. Unfortunately you're picking the best of the worst. That's why I'm hoping if all goes as planned... Ours Will go far above and beyond any even close to this area. Between the knowledge. Service and choice.


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## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

And what I was saying about buying the other out is... If it came to it... we would sell the business or buy one another's half to keep our friendship.


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## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

And we had already planned on it just being the 2 of us... probably for atleast the first year. See how everything goes. Then expand to more people. We are both used to 50+ hour work weeks now... so it wouldn't be so bad.


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