Dan's Feed Set To Celebrate 30 Years

    It began in a former packing house in Umatilla, and on Saturday will celebrate its 30th anniversary in its current home in Altoona. Along the way, Dan's Discount Feed and Fence has grown to become the area's largest supplier of hay, livestock, and pet-related products. This week, feed store founder Dan Kerr reflected on three decades in business, and what brought him to the feed business.
   “I had bought ten acres… and thought I was a cowboy.”
   Kerr’s early career in construction and beer distribution fell away as he discovered his interest in animals and their care.
   “I was going to buy a store, and the deal didn’t work out. So I decided to open my own.”
   When the store opened in Umatilla, he was the only employee, but it didn't take long for the business to take off.
   “I had learned from the convenience store people that a good product at a fair price, with good service, would be successful.”
   Indeed. Before long, customers were looking for expanded lines of products. The store added fencing supplies, expanded pet lines, and in time grew to include a separate building next to the original feed store. But that growth also began to place the business in the crosshairs of the City of Umatilla, and Kerr realized that a change may have to come.
   About 15 years ago, he purchased the former Altoona Station feed store, on SR 19 in Altoona, and he along with his wife Jeri, operated both locations. When the city began to press Kerr on how he was storing hay in Umatilla, he moved the entire operation to Altoona. That was about eight years ago. And the business has continued to grow.
   “Last year, we had our highest volume ever,” Kerr said Monday. He points to his expansive hay inventories that draw people from throughout Lake County and beyond as a key reason for the growth.
   The shop has been able to fend off competition from both locally owned and chain operations, and Kerr admits fighting chains is a difficult part of the job.
   Today, Kerr owns five businesses, including the Kerr’s Tires shop in Umatilla, just steps from the former feed store where he and brother Joe Kerr operate Dan and Joe’s Used Merchandise. And he knows the people of Lake County have made his businesses what they are today.
   “I just want to say thanks to all the people over the years, all those customers, who have supported us. They are really appreciated.”
   To mark the special occasion, the feed store will host a special celebration this Saturday, April 22. All-day specials will be offered, and from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. the public is invited to come enjoy a free hot dog luncheon. It's all part of saying 'thank you' for three decades of support.
   “We’ve come a long way,” Kerr says.