It was 1973 when we started buying this "magic" feed for our dairy goats from a mill in Lincoln, California. When other goat people in the valley heard we were doing this, they asked us to pick up some for them. After a few trips, I had the bright idea: why not open a feed store. This was based on the best foundation possible: no experience what-so-ever, and a potential customer base in our little mountain valley of about 300 people.

Naively we forged ahead, cleaned out the barn and brought in an assortment of feed. We built a loading dock, made a price board and hung up a pad, sending out bills based on these tags. We named it "Antelope Valley Feed." It was here that the philosophy "the customer determines what we will carry" was developed, carrying over to this day.

After moving to Gardnerville in 1985 I was approached by a man who had heard I wanted to open a feed store. He had "just" the building for us. Shortly thereafter, Claire, Janet Wallis and I went to look at the building, the girls hated it but I loved it, it was a way to get started on my dream!

We rented the building, put out a sign, and Eastern Sierra Feed was born in April 1987.

Our first store had lots of "advantages": heat was an inefficient wood stove; access and location was poor and the parking lot had more chuckholes than asphalt. It was often said we should pay our customers to shop there.

We manned the store with family members and Frenchie Madrid, who still works for us. On slow days Frenchie would buy several little items, so we wouldn't know how truly dead the day had been. This was our first experience with employee loyalty that has been the case with many through the years.

Seven years later, after unsuccessfully looking for a larger building, we decided to build. It took three years for financing and construction, finally moving in on January 24, 1998.

We are deeply indebted to our hard working family members and employees who over the years have contributed to our growth and our ability to endure as a small business.

But most of all we want to thank our loyal customers for making the small beginnings become more than a feed store. Without their sustained patronage none of this would have happened!

Gary & Claire Vowles