Family feed business finds new home in Lutz

When the Feed Depot was forced to leave its longtime home on Nebraska Avenue, the Keith family began the search for a new location.

And when they settled on 19002 First St. S.W., near Lutz Lake Fern Road and North U.S. 41, it was the location, size and affordability that made it a good fit.

But it was really a color that first attracted their eye.

“We started looking, but didn’t get anything solid,” said Shayne Keith, whose mother Deborah owns the business. “Mom hopped in her Jeep, headed down this way and this was the first building she saw because it was painted barn red.”

The Feed Depot officially opened the doors of its new location March 1, but had its official grand opening last weekend.

The business, Keith said, has been in the family since the 1970s and was started by his paternal grandfather. About 12 years ago, his mother took over as owner.

The Feed Depot remained on Nebraska, but its landlord had been looking to sell its property for several years. And when a Walmart opened in the area, the land became attractive enough to finally sell.

Moving after such a long tenure in one location has required some important adjustments, Keith said. The business is acclimating to one-third less space — from approximately 6,000 square feet to around 4,000 — and is trying to get a feel for what Lutz customers want. Keith wants to make sure the business is able to meet their specific needs.

“We’re trying to shift our inventory to the likes of the area,” he said. Plus, just getting used to new working space after so much time at their previous address is a challenge in and of itself.

But the transition has been a smooth one in part thanks to the warm reception Keith and his store received and the friendly attitude of the locals they’ve encountered.

“The community around here is amazing. They’ve been so welcoming,” he said.

In addition to selling feed for agricultural animals, the business also sells traditional pet food, and even some animals, such as guinea pigs, rabbits and reptiles. They also plan to reinstate their bird business, for which they were widely known when they operated at the previous location.

And while the area is a perfect fit for the business with a strong community and low crime rate, Keith said the decision to move to Lutz was more of a gut feeling than the result of intense research. From the initial drive that spotted the red building to the final decision to move, there was a sense among the family that they had found the right place to continue their business.

“We had a good feeling about it. We looked other places and we didn’t really get a good feeling about anything,” he said. “But coming down (here), it just snapped on like a light bulb. We had to get this place, we talked to the landlord and it ended up being perfect. And the next thing you know we’re in here.”

Published March 26, 2014

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