Owner: Terry Avaritt (pictured below)
Manager: Daniel Reeves
Location: 401 West Cherry St., Clarksville, Ark.
Company History: Terry Avaritt moved to Clarksville 10 years ago. For a few months he worked at a local hardware store. “We had a feed store in New Mexico for 12 years. We walked into this store one day and the man said he wanted to sell. It just felt right and the price was good. So, we bought it the next day. We will be celebrating our tenth anniversary in August,” he related.
Biggest Challenge: Terry explained that keeping ahead of the competition has been their toughest challenge. “We have grown every year except the one Atwoods opened,” he said. “But, the next year the business came back better than before. It’s worked for us because we’ve filled a niche.”
Business Philosophy: According to Terry, good old fashioned customer service has been the secret to the store’s success. “We don’t run sales or advertise. We don’t have anything against it, we just never have. Word-of-mouth has always worked the best. We just take care of our customers. We’ve really been blessed with customers and we make sure they are taken care of. We are fair and honest. We try to treat people the way we want to be treated,” he said. Terry thinks of his customers as friends and says that he enjoys talking with them and listening to their needs.
Products and Services: Quality of service is top priority. With an impressive selection of top of the line pet foods, including 70 choices of dog food, the majority of business comes from “backyard customers.” “We try to keep different items and higher quality product than the major chains,” said Terry. They also offer lawn and garden supplies with an ample selection of organic gardening products and poultry from two of the top hatcheries in the United States.
What's in the Future: A new roof and front give the store a traditional look. They also have plans for a new sign. “Of course, we will keep adding to the inventory. But mostly, I want this store to keep growing so that I can pass it along to Daniel, who is my son-in-law. It’s not for me anymore. Now, I want this store to grow because it feeds my grandkids," he said with a smile.
