Lakey and Lakey, Inc.
Owner: Lyndell Lakey
Office Manager: Carene Sicilia (pictured)
Location: Ava, Mo.
Business History: Lakey and Lakey, Inc., began as a father and son, dairy farmer duo, purchasing truckloads of alfalfa hay out of Kansas for their cows. Harold and Lyndell Lakey found that the more hay they purchased, the more their neighbors were interested in getting in on the deal as well. “We had to buy a better truck, and then we had to buy a second truck, and then we realized we were in the hay business,” said Lyndell. In 1988, Harold and Lyndell opened Lakey and Lakey, Inc., and became a supplier of quality hay and feed in Ava, Mo. Today, Lakey and Lakey is still owned and operated by the original family – Lyndell partners in the business with his son, Justin.
Products and Services: Lakey and Lakey specializes in hay sales – they haul hay nationwide, as well as making local hay deliveries. Round bales, small square bales and large square bales of hay, as well as large and small straw bales, are sold by the business. Lakey and Lakey is unique in that they offer a satisfaction guarantee on their hay – customers who are not satisfied with their purchase may return the hay, exchange it or receive a refund.
Lakey and Lakey offers a vast array of different feeds for livestock of all kinds. “We’re very extensive on our poultry,” noted Carene Sicilia, office manager. The store carries brands like Purina, Crescent and Nutrena, along with some less common names like Highland Naturals and Beaver Creek – these brands represent some of Lakey and Lakey’s organic and non-GMO feeds that are carried in the store. An extensive line of dog and pet food is stocked here as well, ranging from traditional to grain-free and organic. Other noteworthy feeds carried by Lakey and Lakey include pet fox food and monkey feed.
Lakey and Lakey also sells block, loose and tub mineral, railroad ties, milk replacers, deer mineral blocks, horse treats, and products such as Chaffhaye – a chopped and bagged multispecies hay that is non-GMO Certified. Finally, Lakey and Lakey also doubles as the home of Ava Truck Service – an auto repair shop geared towards farmers and ranchers.
