Over the past 65 years, Woods Feed Store has undergone several location, name and owner changes; however, the feed and supply store continues to maintain its small-town atmosphere despite the rapid growth of south Montgomery County, co-owner Adam Lewandowski said.

Woods Feed Store opened in 1953, Lewandowski said, making it one of the oldest businesses still in existence in the area. The Lewandowski family took ownership of the business in 2003—the same year the store moved from Rayford Road to its current location on a 7-acre tract of family-owned land on Robinson Road.

“Over the last 15 years or so that we’ve owned it, Woods Feed Store has evolved from a feed store to more of a pet store,” Lewandowski said. “There’s a lot more dogs and cats here now than there are horses and cattle. There are still a few small farms in the area, [but] there aren’t any large-scale cattle operations here like there used to be.”

Lewandowski described the Oak Ridge North business as a combination of Home Depot, Tractor Supply, PetSmart and Petco all rolled into one.

The store offers healthy and natural feed options for cattle, horses, dogs, cats and birds; lawn and garden supplies; and synthetic chemicals and natural-organic products for pest control. The shop also carries farm-fresh eggs by the dozen when available and locally sourced raw honey from hives within a 10-mile radius of the store.

With three dogs of their own, Lewandoswki and his wife, Alyssa, said one of their main goals when interacting with customers is promoting healthier food options for animals.

“We only carry premium lines that are sustainably sourced, natural foods you can’t find in a grocery store,” Lewandowski said. “A lot of the issues people have with their pets are food-related, and just like everything else in life, just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean it’s good. Sometimes you have to spend a little more to get a little more.”

However, with the opening of similar chain store concepts, such as Natural Pawz, Lewandowski said Woods Feed Store stays ahead with service.

“You don’t have to ask us to carry your bags of food out­—it’s expected,” he said. “My employees are more knowledgeable that anybody,  and I’ve had people that work at [other pet stores] tell me that the level of training we provide is second to none.”

The animal-friendly store underwent an expansion in 2016, allowing Woods Feed Store to double its storage and retail space, Lewandowski said. However, the traffic at Robinson and Hanna roads continue to negatively affect business, Lewandowski said. The family has considered relocating the store elsewhere in Montgomery County.

“I’d love to see something done at the intersection of Robinson and Hanna roads,” he said. “When we bought this property 30 years ago, there were six cars a day—the most recent count was a little over 15,000 cars a day, and that’s expected to double in the next five years. We just had no idea it would grow this fast.”

Lewandowski said the business strives to stay involved with the community by sponsoring local swim teams and offering photos with Santa Claus for both animals and their owners during the holidays every year.

In the future Lewandowski said he hopes to implement a delivery service and online ordering to further enhance customer service and convenience.

“We’ve got customers who I’ve watched their dogs go from puppies to adults and even pass on,” Lewandowski said. “This is just one of those places that people enjoy working at because we love to help people, and that’s what we’re here for.”

28302 Robinson Road, Oak Ridge North
281-363-3590
www.woodsfeedstore.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. noon-6 p.m.