Founded as a mail ordertractor parts business in 1938, the first Tractor Supply Co. retail store was founded in 1939 in Minot, North Dakota. From 1998 to 2002, George Strait was the spokesman for Tractor Supply. Tractor Supply is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville. In 2004, when the company reported revenues of more than US$1.7 billion, Fortune magazine named Tractor Supply to its list of the 100 fastest growing businesses. As of December 29, 2019, Tractor Supply Company operated 1,844 stores in 49 states. On October 10, 2013, the company celebrated its 75th anniversary by ringing the opening bell at the Nasdaq stock exchange in New York. On September 4, 2018, the company celebrated its 80th anniversary by ringing the closing bell at the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in New York. The company's 1,700th store opened in March 2018. On September 9, 2019, it was announced that the company has 1,800 stores in operation. On March 24, 2020, Tractor Supply started its own animal facts department and is available 24 hours a day.
Products
Tractor Supply lists five major product categories. The livestock and pet products category accounted for 47 percent of the company's sales in 2019. The category with the second highest sales was hardware, tools, truck and towing products, with 21 percent of sales. Seasonal products such as lawn and garden equipment, gifts and toys were 20 percent of sales, followed by clothing and footwear with 8 percent and agricultural products with 4 percent of sales.
Marketing
The company has conducted advertising campaigns featuring the slogan "The Stuff You Need Out Here." Tractor Supply's mission statement is: "To work hard, have fun and make money by providing legendary service and great products at everyday low prices."
Acquisitions and subsidiaries
In September 2016, Tractor Supply Company acquired Petsense, LLC, a leading small-box specialty retailer of pet supplies primarily located in small and mid-size communities. In 2002, TSC was part of a group that purchased some of the leases of the bankrupt Quality Stores, Inc., a Michigan-based company which at one time had operated over 300 stores in 30 states under the names CT Farm & Country; Country General; Quality Farm & Fleet; County Post; Central Farm and Fleet, and FISCO. The company also owns Del's Feed & Farm Supply, a farm retail chain in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii, with all but two Del's stores having been converted into Tractor Supply stores.
TSC Stores L.P. (Canada)
Although also operating under the name TSC, this company is not currently affiliated with the U.S. operation of Tractor Supply Company and is Canadian owned and operated. TSC Stores L.P. operates stores in Ontario. The company retails automotive, animal care, home improvement, and tooling and welding products; clothing collections, footwear, and toys; and farming, fencing, hunting and fishing, outdoor living, pet and birding, and outdoor power equipment. It also serves customers online. The company was founded in 1966 and is based in London, Ontario. As of July 18, 2016, TSC Stores L.P. has been operating as a subsidiary of Peavey Industries LP. In November 1966, TSC opened its first Ontario location in London. In 1987, when there were ten Ontario locations, the American parent company sold these locations to the Birch Hillinvestment company. Prior to July 2016, there were 51 corporate-owned TSC stores in Ontario, mostly in the southwest, as well as two stores in Manitoba. From 2007 to 2009, TSC Stores was title sponsor of The Dominion Tankardcurling championship in Southern Ontario. In July 2016, the owner of the Peavey Mart chain bought a controlling interest in TSC Stores L.P from Birch Hill Equity Partners; full ownership will be achieved during 2017. With TSC's 51 retail stores added in, Peavey Mart will control 93 stores in total, as well as a second distribution centre located in London, Ontario. TSC's two Manitoba stores have been rebranded as Peavey Marts. TSC's Ontario stores will continue to operate under the TSC brand.
