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California Riding Magazine • February, 2009 Nevada Feed & Farm Supply by Kathleen Burke Jensen |
Arlene Nicholson opened the first Nevada Feed & Farm Supply location in Wildomar, 30 miles outside of Temecula, in June 2005 with the mission of providing top quality feed combined with a knowledgeable and friendly staff. Four years later and with a second store location thriving in Fallbrook she’s able to look back with satisfaction. Arlene’s family got their start growing hay. Word of mouth led to many requests and pretty soon semi-trucks were coming to the ranch to load up the bales. “When we started the business we were farming and I thought a feed store would be great thing to have to sell our hay,” says Arlene. So like any good business person researching a new opportunity, Arlene went to visit some feed stores. She was surprised to find that most of the time she’d walk around for a long time before anyone would approach her to offer assistance or just say hello. That’s when she decided that customer service would be one of the things that set her business apart.
“What’s made our stores a success is that we take pride in service,” Arlene explains. Her business motto is to try extra hard. If they don’t carry something a customer needs, they’ll do their best to track it down. Arlene encourages her staff to go out of their way to help customers. And it works. “I get a lot of compliments on my staff,” she says with a smile. Sometimes it’s as simple as saying “Good morning, can I help you?” Nevada Feed services all animals, not just equine. They carry food and supplies for dogs, cats, pigs, chickens, goats and livestock. And Arlene encourages her staff to read the labels of all the feed in order to help customers make the best choice. Arlene recalls that years ago when they first moved back to California they’d go to Walmart and stock up on cases of Old Roy for their six ranch dogs. Then one day the Nutro people came to the ranch and explained the individual nutritional needs of each dog and how food made with oatmeal and lamb and rice would improve their health. They tried the food and were pleased with the results.
Arlene, with employees Larry & Sam. “Eventually I’d like to have an abundance of everything,” explains Arlene with the enthusiasm that is the hallmark of Nevada Feed. “Maybe have a person to launder and repair horse blankets and someone who comes in to repair saddles.” And they are well on their way to broadening into equipment such as tack, corrals, fencing and shelters; whatever they can do to help customers meet their needs. In addition to all of the supplies and services, Nevada Feed offers nine high quality types of hay. They carry three kinds of alfalfa, an orchard alfalfa mix, Timothy hay, a meadow grass hay called “teff,” Bermuda hay and orchard Timothy mix. “We have the best quality hay around because we buy from Idaho, Nevada and Oregon where they only cut three times a year,” Arlene explains. “Our hay is really clean.” Arlene and her daughter Michelle have a dozen horses and both rodeo when time permits. The also have several dogs between them so they know just what it takes to keep a stable of assorted animals well fed and healthy. And they make sure their customers know, too. With a smile.
For more information about Nevada Feed contact the Wildomar store at 951-674-5918 or the Fallbrook store at 760-728-9542 or you can reach Arlene Nicholson via e-mail at threecans4me@yahoo.com. |
