BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer
UPPER FREEHOLD – Tractor Supply Co., which boasts that it is the largest retail farm and ranch store chain in the United States, wants to put a store in the township.
Representatives from The Keith Corp., of Charlotte, N.C, which is the real estate developer for Tractor Supply Co. (TSC), discussed their plans with the township’s Economic Development Committee on May 7.
Patrick Plettner, of The Keith Corp., said TSC is looking to purchase a 12-acre tract in the township’s community commercial zone at the intersection of Route 524 and Imlaystown-Hightstown Road. The site is located across the street from the Cox’s Corner commercial subdivision and is not far from the Horse Park of New Jersey.
Plettner said there are currently TSC stores operating or under construction in the state in Vineland, Sussex and Washington. According to Plettner, the Upper Freehold area is a good market for TSC, as it has the customer base of horse and hobby farmers that the company is looking for.
The store should generate between $3.5 and $4 million a year in revenue, he said.
“This is ground zero for the horse industry,” said Dr. S. Perrine Dey, a member of the Economic Development Committee.
Plettner called TSC a niche business, and said it is like a combination of Home Depot, Lowe’s and Rick’s Saddle Shop in Cream Ridge and Englishtown.
“It’s stayed with its core values and beliefs,” he said, adding that the TSC stock price has done well.
Although TSC does not actually sell tractors, it does sell lawn mowers, fencing, horse and pet food and supplies, fertilizer, tools and similar items, he said.
TSC would build a 19,000-20,000-square-foot store with a 20,000-square-foot side yard, he said.
Economic Development Committee members noted that such a store would be the biggest commercial facility in the township.
The store would occupy 5-6 acres of the site, 35 percent of which would be paved with impervious coverage.
A letter of interpretation from the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has already been obtained regarding wetlands in the rear of the tract, he said.
Plettner said the store would be open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
The store would employ 20-25 workers and would have eight-10 workers per shift, he said.
The store would also have a horse enthusiast, a welder and a farm expert on staff to answer questions from customers, he said.
Wendy Fulton, also from The Keith Corp., said that TSC works closely with FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America) students. Allentown High School has a very active FFA program.
Plettner said TSC would also get very involved with the Horse Park of New Jersey.