Community Feed Store Is A Family Tradition

WESTMINSTER STATION, VT. - A Westminster Station staple since 1902, the Community Feed Store, Inc. was recently acquired by Garin Clough, who purchased the store in late October from his parents, Paul and Dania Clough. The Cloughs have owned the Community Feed Store since 1981, purchasing it from Paul's father Ervin.

Ervin had bought half of the business from Charles Wright in 1945, and took sole ownership in 1953. The store offers a wide variety of pet foods, animal feeds, grass seeds and fertilizers, electric fencing and canning supplies and more.

"This has been our family’s plan for quite some time now, Garin Clough said in a recent interview. "I went to the University of Vermont and graduated in 2003 with a business degree, then worked in a similar store in Williston for two years as an assistant manager. Then in 2004, my wife Maria and I moved back and got involved with the business, with the goal of buying it when my father turned 62."

The store has gone through a few major changes over the years, with the biggest coming a year ago when the Clough's tripled the size of the retail store by adding a large selection of pet foods and supplies, increasing the lawn and garden department, increasing their inventory of Muck Boots and adding Yankee Candle to their product mix.

"We are looking to introduce a rewards program in the near future, as well as expand our delivery services into the Charlestown and Claremont areas," Garin added. "Our customer service is excellent and we always try to exceed our customers expectations by educating them with their purchases."

The folks at the Community Feed Store also to all the little things, such as loading all their customers vehicles and providing an efficient and affordable local delivery service. They offer affordable prices and have a vast knowledge of all their product lines.

The store itself is a unique building, originally built in 1902 with a classic, post-and-beam construction. Despite the recent renovations, though, the beams remain exposed. "We have some old signs displayed, along with our original scale from when we sold bulk feed. We also have a copy of the stores sales from 1929."

The Community Feed Store has a staff who alllive locally and are very knowledgeable including Jake Rand of Charlestown, Hanna Welch of Walpole, Collin Johnson of Westminster, Joel Holton of Westminster and Katie Bowen of Putney.

The Community Feed store is located on Route 123 in Westminster Station and the phone number is 802.722.9852. The store hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Also watch for the Community Feed Store's next sale flyer in the Nov. 30 edition of The Shopper.