Rural lifestyle retailer continues store expansion
Blain’s Farm & Fleet is entering a new market.
The Wisconsin-based retailer will be opening stores throughout Michigan in 2018. The first two locations will open this fall, a 120,000-sq.-ft. store in Jackson and a 109,000-sq.-ft. store in Portage. Both sites will include automotive service centers.
“Several years ago we announced an aggressive expansion and reinvestment plan," said Jane Blain Gilbertson, owner and president, Blain's Farm & Fleet, which has 38 locations throughout Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. “Expansion into Michigan is the next step.”
In the first steps of its expansion plan, the Blain’s opened new stores in Romeoville and Elgin (Illinois). It is currently making significant investments in remodeling and expanding existing stores in Rice Lake (Wisconsin), and Kankakee/Bourbonnais (Illinois).
Both online and brick-and-mortar expansion has been part of Blain's strategic growth initiative.
"We have been bucking the retail trend, showing successful growth as other retailers are shrinking," said Alejandro Montoya, CFO. "But, unlike other retailers, we do not expand quickly and then close stores later, leaving the communities and families that counted on them. In fact, in our 63 year history, we have never left a community where we have built a store. So, we are very careful about the locations that we choose. We are very excited about Michigan. It is a perfect fit."
Blain's Farm & Fleet is a second generation family-owned company that was founded in 1955.
The Wisconsin-based retailer will be opening stores throughout Michigan in 2018. The first two locations will open this fall, a 120,000-sq.-ft. store in Jackson and a 109,000-sq.-ft. store in Portage. Both sites will include automotive service centers.
“Several years ago we announced an aggressive expansion and reinvestment plan," said Jane Blain Gilbertson, owner and president, Blain's Farm & Fleet, which has 38 locations throughout Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. “Expansion into Michigan is the next step.”
In the first steps of its expansion plan, the Blain’s opened new stores in Romeoville and Elgin (Illinois). It is currently making significant investments in remodeling and expanding existing stores in Rice Lake (Wisconsin), and Kankakee/Bourbonnais (Illinois).
Both online and brick-and-mortar expansion has been part of Blain's strategic growth initiative.
"We have been bucking the retail trend, showing successful growth as other retailers are shrinking," said Alejandro Montoya, CFO. "But, unlike other retailers, we do not expand quickly and then close stores later, leaving the communities and families that counted on them. In fact, in our 63 year history, we have never left a community where we have built a store. So, we are very careful about the locations that we choose. We are very excited about Michigan. It is a perfect fit."
Blain's Farm & Fleet is a second generation family-owned company that was founded in 1955.