Blain Supply, Inc., doing business as Blain's Farm & Fleet, is a regional, family-owned chain of 45 farm supply retail stores in four states (Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Michigan) of the Upper Midwest region of the United States. Blain's Farm & Fleet was an early adopter of "buy online, pick up at the store" in which all stores provide a drive-thru pick-up experience so online orders can be retrieved without consumers having to leave the car.[1]
 | |
 Store in Onalaska, Wisconsin | |
| Blain's Farm & Fleet | |
| Company type | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Founder |
|
| Headquarters | Janesville, Wisconsin, United States |
Number of locations | 45 stores (2024) |
| Products | Clothing, footwear, housewares, lawn & garden, farm equipment, automotive, sporting goods, hunting fishing, toys |
| Revenue |  US$ 512 million (2022) |
Number of employees | 1,000 (2022) |
| Website | FarmAndFleet.com |
History
edit
The company was founded in Janesville, Wisconsin, in 1955 by brothers W. C. "Claude" Blain and N. A. "Bert" Blain.[2] Similarly-named Mills Fleet Farm was also founded in 1955 by Blain family friends. The two families agreed to use similar names and have historically operated in different territories.[3][4] Each Blain's retail store is part of Farm and Fleet Stores which operate in four divisions by region, while the distribution is handled by a separate entity, Blain Supply.[5] The business is a family-owned, privately held corporation run by President and CEO Jane Blain Gilbertson since her brother, Robert Blain, retired in 2014. Robert had been President since 1993, taking over after the death of Bert Blain.[2][6] The chain has one distribution center in Janesville. In January 2018, the company announced it would be expanding into Michigan with 5 stores located in Portage, Jackson, Traverse City, Holland and Walker.[7]
Products
editThe stores sell tires, agricultural supplies and equipment, hunting and fishing equipment and licenses, kitchen appliances, housewares, automotive goods, men's & women's clothing, household hardware, lawn and garden supplies, outdoor power tools, pumps and generators, paint, pet supplies, candy, sporting goods, tools and toys.
References
edit- ^ Walker, Janelle (September 14, 2016). "Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce's luncheon". The Chicago Tribune.
- ^ a b Murphy, Jean (May 22, 2018). "Modern day general store found in suburbs". Daily Herald. Arlington Heights, Illinois.
- ^ "Video: Mills Fleet Farm and Blain's Farm & Fleet enter a new era". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. June 6, 2017.
- ^ Adams, Barry (August 14, 2008). "No Family Feud for Farm & Fleet, Fleet Farm". Wisconsin State Journal.
- ^ "Company info". Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^ Gores, Paul (May 13, 2014). "Blain's Farm and Fleet executive retiring". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- ^ "Blain's Farm & Fleet announces third Michigan location". The Gazette. Janesville, Wisconsin. January 22, 2018.