Richards Brothers Feed and Fertilizer
Owners: Steve, David and Bob Skyles
Location: Mountain Grove, Mo.
History: The family business started in Mountain Grove, Mo., in 1937 with a grocery store on the square. Brothers Steve and David Skyles run Richards Brothers Feed and Fertilizer while their brother, Bob Skyles, operates Richards Brothers Grocery. Their grandfather, Wells Richards, began the business solely as a grocery store in the 1930s when it was commonplace for customers to trade for other goods. “The backroom used to be full of eggs, milk and furs,” said Steve Skyles, recalling stories his parents told him. The grocery store remains on the square but the feed and fertilizer part of the business is located a block south of the square. “We have been in the feed part of it for over 50 years,” said Steve.
Products and Services: Richards Brothers Feed and Fertilizer puts together custom dairy rations for farmers. “The biggest part of our business is the bulk dairy feed. We have a nutritionist that has been here since 1985. He goes out to farms and tries to match forage with feed to maximize milk production,” said Steve. The nutritionist runs tests on the forage to ensure the custom feed will provide the desired outcome. Richards Brothers serves more than 100 dairy farmers in a 60-mile radius of Mountain Grove. They also provide bag feed products for customers. The company mainly stocks Nutrena products from Cargill. The business also custom-blends fertilizer for clients.
Customer Service: The Skyles brothers strive to provide excellent service to all their patrons. “A lot of them have been customers since before I was here and that is really the focus of the business; service and quality,” explained Steve. While the ownership of Richards Brothers spans several generations of one family so does its customers. “We have elderly people who come in and say, ‘I used to come in here when I was a kid,’” said Steve. The Skyles brothers hope to carry on the tradition their grandparents started so many years ago.
