As it continues to expand, Tractor Supply Co. has announced that it has surpassed 2,000 stores in operation and plans to open an additional distribution center to support growth.
A decade after opening its 1,000th store, Tractor Supply debuted its 2,000th in White House, TN, on December 4, and it just kept going, with 2,003 retail locations now up and running. The company plans to open 75 to 80 new stores in 2022, including the relocation of a store in Minot, N.D., home of the original Tractor Supply location, which is scheduled for this month.
Tractor Supply Co. started out in 1938 as a mail-order business focused on providing quality tractor parts to farmers at fair prices, the company noted. Charles Schmidt Sr. ran the business from the kitchen table in his Chicago home before opening a retail store one year later. Schmidt selected Minot for its central location between Texas and Saskatchewan, two hubs for tractor owners, Tractor Supply pointed out.
“Beginning with our first store in Minot, Tractor Supply Co. established a commitment to meeting and exceeding the needs of our customers, and we have upheld that commitment for more than 80 years,” said Hal Lawton, the company’s president and CEO, in announcing the 2,000th store opening. “By never losing sight of our purpose, we have grown far beyond what Mr. Schmidt could have ever imagined. While we are proud of our history and all that we have accomplished, we are even more excited about the future and the many ways we can continue to support our neighbors who share our passion for Life Out Here.”
The new Tractor Supply DC will operate in Maumelle, AR. The company has scheduled construction on the 900,000 square foot facility to begin in the middle of 2022 with anticipated completion in late 2023.
