Owner: Chuck Jefferson
Location: Tulsa, Okla.
History: The original Tulsa Feed opened in 1922 in a location close to the railroad. It had a full mill, and processed and mixed own feed.
“As best as I can recall, I am the fourth owner,” current owner Chuck Jefferson said. “After managing a grocery store for 30 years, I wanted to change and to be my own boss, so I purchased the business. During my time in the original facility, I remodeled it as we have now done to our new location, which is only a couple of miles from the old one. Everything changed late last year when the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad decided to reclaim the land in order to add another track. After renovating the new facility to meet our needs, we are in good shape and welcoming well-known customer friends and making new ones. My five employees are moving with me to the new location and are central to my business. Because my turnover is very low, they know my customers. They seem to love helping and advising others in taking care of their animals as much as I do.”
Products and Services: “If it eats, we feed it,” Chuck said. “One advantage of the new site is presenting an opportunity to expand what we offer in terms of brands and variety. In addition to providing food for the local animal shelter, we also supply everything but fresh meat to the Tulsa Zoo, which was a part of the business even before I purchased it. The bulk of my business is comprised of equine and pet customers, with our main feed brands being Mid-America Feeds, Purina, and Big V. To help our equine customers, we offer square bales in both prairie hay and north Kansas alfalfa. We have increased our horse tack, which includes bridles, halters lead ropes, etc. In addition, we offer a variety of equipment for many types of animals. For chickens, we carry waterers, feeders and incubators and round out our selections for other animals, including dog kennels, collars and harnesses, as well as rabbit cages and a variety of waters and feeders. Our cattle customers are provided with cubes and water troughs. We have an extensive array of necessary medicines and vaccines for all kinds of animals. Finally, in the spring we supply annual and perennial plants for gardens and beds.”
Philosophy and Future: “A business like ours is dependent upon a personal relationship with our customers. Whenever possible, we call people by name and engage in social conversation about their lives, their animals and what we can do to help meet their needs. Consequently, my staff has a depth of knowledge of a wide variety of animals and their specific nutritional needs at various point in their lives. One plan for the future is that we hope to offer deer plot supplies for our many hunters. This is an exciting time with our new location providing easier access, and we look forward to expanding our business.”
