White’s Equine Feed and Tack
Owner: Tim White
Company History: “In January 2000, my dad, Cecil White, bought the Diamond Sale Barn. At that time, we had a lot of empty buildings, and I thought it might be a good idea to start a feed and tack store. The horse sales brought a lot of people through, and at that time there were no other feed or tack dealers in the area. I saw it as a convenience for those customers. Since then, we’ve grown, and the feed and tack sides have grown, at about the same rate. It’s a good fit. In 2009, we opened a store in North Joplin, just south of Stone’s Corner. The stores complement each other and we get a lot of cross customers doing business in both.”
Products and Services: “We carry everything for the horse and rider. We stock a full-line of horse tack, saddles, bridles, halters, lariat rope and other cowboy accessories, cowboy boots and Muckboots. Where we really stand out is as a feed store. The brands we stock are Purina, ADM Tindle, Nutrina, Crescent Feeds, Kent Feeds – we may not stock everything in every brand, but we can get whatever the customer wants to feed, as opposed to others who may not carry all the brands.”
“I really feel we’re here to work with the customer and that’s our focus. I’ve been involved with horses since my teens, and I’ve learned that with horse people there’s no right or wrong answer. Everyone has an idea of what they want, and it may change over time, but we’re here to provide what they need and want.”
Future of the Business: “Owning a horse is a hobby for 98 percent of the horse owners in the area. Everybody wants to have fun and be able to relax outside of their work, so owning a horse is their recreation and relaxation. The last couple of years our business has been very steady, and I think it will stay that way. I see no major difference in sales, I’m very positive.”
Story and Photos by Pam Artman
