It began with a dream. A dream that came true when Terry and Donna Sanders moved to Hernando County in 1990.
“Our dream was to open a family-run feed store that would always work to keep prices low and that dream has been accomplished,” said Donna Sanders.
The couple called their store Wagon Wheel Feed. It opened in 1991 and has been in continuous business to this day. “We started out over on U.S. 41 but then we moved to the little pink house on Cortez Boulevard,” said Patty Eden, the couple’s daughter.
“But the business kept growing and the little pink house got too small, so we now operate from the big white barn behind the pink house,” said Eden.
Donna and Terry Sanders are now semi-retired and their daughter Patty Eden manages the business. “My parents are still very much involved however and mom does all of the bookwork,” Eden said.
Located at 25410 Cortez Blvd., in Brooksville, Wagon Wheel Feed offers a full line of animal feed, tack and pet supplies, first aid, gardening and novelty goods. The store has a small, dedicated staff that’s been with the family for years. They’re knowledgeable and friendly and strive to know each customer’s name and needs. “It’s that commitment to customer service and having the right products for our customers that has allowed us to build a loyal customer base,” said Eden.
Anthony Lambright is one such customer. Lambright, who lives in Ridge Manor, said, “I’ve been coming here for a while now to buy all my hay, grain, chicken and goat feed.” “It’s real good stuff,” he said.
Eden explained that part of the feed business these days is to provide a wide range of products for a whole variety of customers. “We pride ourselves on the quality of our hay but we’re always looking to suit our customers’ needs and that’s why we’ve introduced a whole new line of organic foods and performance diets,” she said.
“There’s so many brands of food out there — and vitamins, supplements for so many types of animals,” said Eden. “Young, old, horses, cows, pigs, birds — we try to suit all our customers’ needs.”
Joshua Lopez, an operations supervisor at Wagon Wheel Feed, has worked at the store for several years. “I’ve known the family a long time and they watched me grow up,” he said. “I run operations from outside in the barn.” For pickup or delivery, Lopez said the barn has been organized for an efficient flow of inbound and outbound products.
“Everything is stacked and arranged for easy access and it runs like a well-oiled machine,” said Lopez.
But Lopez’ real expertise lies with the hay supplies stored in semis all around the property. “Hay is gold,” he said.
Wagon Wheel Feed sources its top-quality hay not only from local sources but as far away as Montana, Arizona, Canada and Mexico.
Lopez likes to talk about hay.
“We have so many different types of hay.” he said. “It’s not just a bale of grass.”
“Not all hay is equal and some hay has more nutritional value than others,” said Lopez. “Alfalfa is very popular because it’s high in protein and very leafy.”
“You have to know what’s the best hay for your animals,” he said.
Longtime customer, Debi Cummings, said she shops at Wagon Wheel Feed for all her animal feed. “I own a small farm over Shady Hills way,” she said, “and I don’t want to shop anywhere else.” A regular at the store for more than 18 years, Cummings said she meets all kinds of other customers when she comes to the store and gets really useful tips and information from the staff on animal care.
“Wagon Wheel has something for everyone, whether you’re a farmer, smallholder or just a lover of the countryside and animals,” she said.
“I also own a grooming shop too so I can buy all my other products here too,” she said. “It’s just a great store.”
Staying true to their original dream, Wagon Wheel Feed continues to be a family-run business that is highly respected by consumers and retailers alike. “We believe in providing the best service we can and personal contact with our customers is at the center of all we do,” said Donna Sanders.
One upcoming event Wagon Wheel Feed is planning is a ‘Thanksgiving Animal Soup Kitchen.’ “The objective is to help animal owners who may be going through hard times or do not have the resources to properly feed or care for their beloved animals,” said Linda Christian. Christian, owner of the 100 Acre Wood Wildlife Sanctuary, is a co-sponsor for the Wagon Wheel Feed Soup Kitchen. It will be held on Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Wagon Wheel Feed store on Cortez Boulevard. Other sponsors include Hernando County Animal Services and ARF’N Animal Rescue.
“It’s going to be held outside our barn and open until we run out of food,” said Patty Eden.
“We’ve had so many generous donations but would still like to see more donations,” she said.
“We’ve been here for 25 years nearly but we’ve never lost sight of our main aim to supply quality feeds and superlative service to all our customers,” she said.
“We appreciate our customers and we have the best prices town.”
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IF YOU GO
Wagon Wheel Feed
is located at
25410 Cortez Blvd
Brooksville FL 34601
Hours
Monday – Friday 8am to 6pm
Saturday – 8am to 5pm
Closed on Sunday
Phone: 352.799.8002
Visit: wagonwheelfeed.com
