Mill's Fleet Farm

I stopped in today to grab some two cycle oil, chainsaw files, etc.

The shelves were bare. The last time, the inventory was only skimpy.

I'm predicting that the new owners will morph this thing into something I have no intention of frequenting.

Good bye, Fleet Farm.

That's a shame. The one in Fargo looked good last month when I was there.

We just had a Blain's Farm & Fleet open down in Kalamazoo a couple of months ago. It's a GREAT store. 190,000 sq. ft. We had nothing like it around here but Tractor Supply, their prices always seemed high to me. It's my go to store now.

didn't know fleet farm got sold, hope it doesn't end up like cabelas

WE have a new Fleet Farm . It even has a lumber yard Indoors. Looks like Its going to give Farm And Fleet a run for the money

New Fleet Farm here as well. FF has always been a better store than Farm & Fleet - my and many others opinion...

"IF YOU CAN'T GET IT AT FLEET FARM,YOU DON'T NEED IT"

I'm usually at Fleet Farm about once a week. Only time I've seen shelves picked over is the week before deer season. If I am going for something specific, I'll check the website for availability before I make the trip, although that's not a perfect system.

Gary, I was in that one last week, in Deforest. Not impressed at all. Have you been in a Fleet Farm up north? Say Stevens Point, or over to Winona? No comparison. Not only are they trying to compete with Farm and Fleet, but also Menards. What's with all the grocery aisles?

Too bad.

The one in Duluth is crowded every time I go there. Waited in line for 35 minutes on black friday. Tons of inventory. Hobart welders were on sale cheap.

We have a couple around here. I spend a lot of money there. The only change I've seen was adding some groceries. I've not seen the items they have gotten rid of. Still the best store around here by far.

You could always ask the new management as maybe they are bringing in "new stock". Our grocery was purchased by a distributor in Ohio and it is driving the locals nuts in they keep trying to force Ohio product like Barillos on people when all they want is Creamettes.
At our Runnings store, we have the opposite problem in things are on the shelves, but the prices are over the top like Ace is now. I agree though on Blains in I have ordered from them online and their prices are great and they have things I need.
Without plugging Amazon, you can order allot of stuff from there, free shipping and if you have a Discover with 5% cashback, you get a really good buy online and delivered to your door. It is where I got a Zareba fencer replacement when all the farm stores here would not carry the product.

OK, maybe I don't really need two cycle oil, chansaw files, chainsaw bar oil, etc. Heck, I might as well just get rid of the wood fired boiler and burn fossil fuels.

Most of the posts here make me feel like I'm in some kind of time machine. Six months ago I would have make some of those comments, myself.

So much for ancient history. Here's a current event: The Mill's Fleet Farm in Brooklyn Park Minnesota SUCKS, and is getting worse every day.

BTW. Blaines and Mills ain't the same thing. AND Mills recently sold out to an investor group. The stores were pretty much unchanged for a bit, but, at least the couple I (used to) frequent in Minnesota are going downhill fast, now. So, does anyone know where I can find my chainsaw support items. I just might try Dicks.

www.amazon.com

Mills Fleet Farm used to be my all time favorite store. Friends from out of state would stop in and tell me how wonderful it was to have such a store that not only had everything you could want but at reasonable prices. And to top it off, the staff was kind and very knowledgeable. Since they've sold out, they no longer have what a guy needs and if they do, it's junk!! The employee turn around has been outrageous and now your stuck with some young collage student that doesn't want to be there and doesn't know anything! Local radio station keeps telling us to buy local, but if this is what I have to deal with I'll buy on line!

Your experience is quite different than what we are experiencing in our area. Employees here are well pleased with their jobs. I am actually thinking about applying for some part-time options.

Bryce

Local Fleet Farm has also had issues with inventory.

Wife buys her dish washing soap there.

Was out of stock for over 2 weeks that we watched for it.

2 weeks to get a common household item?

We had a bad storm here in the end of Aug. FF was out of ALL chain saw bar oil and 2 cycle engine oil about 2-3 days after the storm hit.
I went into FF about 2 weeks ago to get some 2 cycle engine oil for the chain saw and they still had none in inventory. 3 MONTHS LATER!!!!!

I no longer buy chain saw bar oil, chains, or engine oil at FF, I buy at the small local dealer, costs a little more but he always has it on hand.
I don't waste my time at FF for that stuff any more.

I often find items out of stock there frequently.

One of the only reason I shop locally is cause I can get it when I need it.

If I go to the store and its out of stock I wasted my time and money, I might as well order on line and save my time and money.
Having stuff on hand and inventory is the big advantage of a local store. That goes away then I'm ordering on line.

They also rearranged the store and the new layout sucks.

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger...... The Hudson store has turned into a Walmart. As you walk through the door, you're right in the food and clothing aisles, and all the man stuff is crammed back in the corner. They've added many more shelves crammed with cleaning products, household supplies, food items, pop.... typical Walmart items.

They should have two entrances, one for guys and one for ladies shopping for a sweater!

The local Menards is killing them.

Hey muskrat love, I've been in the Hudson store at least once a year for last several years. Walked out with an armload of Duke 160s just this past summer.
My brother in law moved there several years back and when we come up to visit we always hit mills fleet farm in hudson.
They used to have a great army surplus section too but I e watched that dwindle down to just a row or so way on south east end of store only.
We do not have fleet farm stores down here where we live, sort of wished we did.
Jim

A few new store openings in my neck of the woods. The new store in Oconomowoc, WI is really nice- great selection, well stocked, boy I'm hoping it doesn't see the same digression described above!

The Winona store used to have a great army surplus section. I'd buy a duffel bag every time I walked in. You can never have enough of those good quality duffel bags. Well, guess what. They're gone for good.

Now HERE was a store! Dang I miss ordering out of the Herter's catalog!! Was like Christmas when that box would arrive on the porch. Just paging through the catalog was an inspiration for this young man back in the day.



Didn't they have just about everything . . . .

I prefer L&M Fleet by far

Muskrat, I have to agree with you 101% about Herter's, they had just about anything you even thought you might need. I've bought traps, firearms, all kinds of fishing equipment and lures, clothing, decoys, brass, bullets, you name it I've probably bought it there. That was one company that I hated to see go. Model Perfect!!

The Herter's catalog brings back memories! Last year while going through some of my dad's stuff I found an old catalog, and spent a couple of hours going through it again. Many plans were made while looking at that book.

IF I remember right they had a Herter's store In Beaver Dam. or some where In that area.

They did, Gary. And how about those Holiday gas stations? A fella could fill the tank, buy a shotgun, decoys, and a six pack of beer all before the duck opener.

I stopped at another Mill's Fleet Farm today. This one, Oakdale, MN.I only had a few minutes so only checked what I call the "firewood aisle". It was better than Brooklyn Park, but, not by much.

They had a few chains, bars, bar oil, and files. Absolutely no two cycle oil, and danged few hand tools. By hand tools, I mean the likes of axes, mauls, cant hooks, etc.

On the bright side, I found everything I needed at a Menards. Now I'll know where to go when Fleet Farm closes their doors.

Fleet Farm here in Brainerd is still going strong. I just talked to the manager of the Brainerd store a couple days ago and he seems happy with the new owners. He's been with Fleet Farm since there was only one store. It's been two years since the buyout and I can't really see anything that's changed except the logo has been updated.

I ordered my first compound bow out of a Herter's Catalog I think it was in 1975. It was a Herter's Black Mountain Hunter. Think I paid something like $65 for it. Killed a lot of deer with it up until the mid 80's; I still have that bow. Wish I had a copy of the catalog.

Plenty of them to be had here.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Herters-Catalog-Outdoors-Hunting-Fishing-Seeds-Trapping-Wauseca-Glenwood/183581201403?hash=item2abe4ad3fb:g:7EgAAOSwAbxcEId3:rk:3:pf:0

VERY true. It's so obvious, and I hear it from everybody. I've never understood why Farm & Fleet couldn"t up their game, so to speak, to try to do as good as Fleet Farm. That said, Farm & Fleet is by no means bad...it's just not nearly as good as Fleet Farm. I hope the OP isn't right about Fleet Farm across the board. As for new ownership, I haven't heard anything about that...but I did notice their logo appears to have changed recently. Hmmm...

We have a new FF here in Eau Claire. Similar to the good, older stores, but no surplus items (which I liked). The new ownership is expanding bigtime as they built a huge distribution center in Chippewa Falls.

I agree with Steven49er about L & M Fleet, which is a great store and better than any current Fleet Farm. The closest L&M to me is two hours north (Hayward), but visit Ashland and Grand Rapids when in the neighborhood.

Well Fleet Farm just built a million dollar store In Deforest. so I don't see them closing the doors anytime soon.

I would guess FF spent at least that on the new store in Eau Claire, likely in just site prep alone. A good store and glad to have them here - finally !

Fleet Farm is going to build a new store in West Bend.
They have been trying to build but the city always wanted them to build on the South side of town.
FF wants go to the west of town. This held it up for probably decades.
New store will be on west side of town.
I bought my 1st shotgun from the old West Bend store, a 870 for $135.
Had to be in the mid '70's.

Problem I see with a lot of these store is when the expand into the market. They loose that thing they had locally as a family community store. They try to make each store location the same not tailored to area.
My Father inlaw, brother inlaw, my daughter and son worked or work for Festival foods. That chain at least here locally came from the Skogen family as a local IGA. The old man my father inlaw and brother inlaw first worked for at one little store. He past the torch to the kids and they expanded to 3-4 stores here locally then switched from IGA to the festival brand went state wide. Now it seems every time they add a store around the state, which they have many of now. Some of the items we used to get here locally go away. My son used to make the festival brand brats right in the store depending on how many the store sold.. That got job out now and they order them in and are some times told how many cases they have to take. Even if they run short or have to clearance things because of to much. Lot of the manager that used to do the orders for each department at each store, are now told by corporate what they are taking or selling. They manage mostly their staffs hour and work schedule.
So maybe your FF store only got what chain saw supplies corporate wants them to have. The manager of that department in that store just throws his hands in the air, has to wait for the next truck from corporate.

My mother would say they get to big for the britches.

Mac

Based upon the reports of expansions here, I can only assume they have big plans.

Evidently, those plans don't include the firewood aisle. They must consider it a thing of the past. I guess my user name ain't a dinosaur for nothin'.

Mac, you hit the nail on the head. Many businesses are using the "one size fits all approach" more and more, which leaves out the specialty stuff we all have come to appreciate - and expect.

Regarding Festival Foods, it's unreal how the old Skogen's IGA has morphed into the Festival chain of grocery stores....and they con't to expand/grow. a huge difference from 50+ years ago, growing up in Lacrosse.

T-rex, it could be they ran out. I was told they order inventory 10-12 weeks ahead of time, and it's not easy to restock an item right away all the time. I had a similar experience looking for ice fishing gear at the end of February last year, many things were pretty picked over. We had at least a month of good ice fishing weather ahead, and a lot of their items were out of stock. It wasn't just FF though, Cabelas down the road had even less ice fishing gear.

You couldn't build much of a store for a million these days. I would guess it would take at least ten times that much to put up a new fleet farm store.

OK Ok it was a Multi million dollar store. WE all knew what I was getting at except you.

My sympathies to Fleet Farm and their ordering lag time. But, I have work that won't wait. I guess I'm just going to be happy cozying up with John Menard.

I went back to Mills Fleet Farm today. The first time since before Christmas.

The first thing I notice is a sign that says. "Temporarily Out of Sidewalk Salt". No big deal, so are a lot of places right now.

Next, I walk over to what I call the "firewood isle". No chainsaws, chainsaw parts, no axes, cant hooks. Actually, they had one item, and one item only.... a 37 ton log splitter with a sale price.

So, now I walk over to get what I came in for...a couple bungee cords. Lots of fancy yuppie stretchie thingies, but, not a single plain old bungee cord.

In general, the whole place looked like a picked over garage sale.

Bye bye, Fleet Farm.

Boy do I remember That...We bought a Ruger .44Mag Deerfield there back in thr day! Bought truckloads of Ammo there Also.

I think a lot has to do with each individual stores manager.... If the manager is on top of things and keeps up with reordering it'll be ok if not its a crap show.
My perception of FF is an extremely tight wad company never enough help and the help they get they don't pay squat. will it go under? probably not.


Remember, even if you are only of average intelligence that means 50% of the people are stupider than you are....

Ace Hardware... I"m partial to the one in Brainerd I know they have a handful of customers that come up from the metro for their equipment and service department, but this store is part of an independently owned and operated group.

The Fleet Farm in Blaine MN is much better that the one in Oakdale. That said, I couldn't get any 2 cycle oil at the Blaine FF either. I did get saw files and they do carry axes, mauls and such for those in the market. We stop at the Farm and Fleet in Rice Lake WI when we go there and I hate the place. It seems rather than have select departments, they have things strung out all over the store. When you ask a clerk where something is they point and tell you it could be here or it could be there, Really?


WS

I really don't get it.

An investment group buys a going enterprise because customers love it.

Then, they figure they can change it into something completely different. Maybe, but, I ain't going to be a part of it.

Sounds like our Rural King stores. I love the store. Everything from guns, food, hardware, chicks, beekeeping stuff, clothing and boots.....just about everything....at great prices.

We have a very large, active and change over Fleet Farm Store about 15 miles from us. There are many in the general area and not all have been involved in the make over. The larger one near us is fully stocked with all that was typical in the past and more. The other thing I hear from those that work there is they like working for them and are treated and paid well when compared to similar retail in our area. Huge farm presence here yet which means the do it yourself and tool areas are stocked well.

Bryce

Brooklyn Park sucks period!

I haven't noticed any change at all in the Brainerd Fleet Farm. Still good as always. They are building more stores and making money like crazy so it appears to me that they are doing really well. Seems to me the new owners have streamlined it and improved it in many ways. At least that's the word on the street.

Same thing here, Bernie. I've been in 3 different Fleet Farms since this Thread started. All stocked up around here. And each one that goes up....bigger and better.

Sioux City, IA. has a new Fleet Farm and from what it looks like "if they don't have it , you don't need it", plenty of help, tons of camo clothing, shells, and in general anything you might need plus good prices. I just hope it stays that way, time will tell.

I was at the Duluth store Saturday looking for musky lures and some other summer fishing stuff and the shelves were full with long lines at the check out.

Most well managed FF stores know their customers. I was walking through today and bought a backpack fishing tackle system I want to use for wading the rivers I do. We are close to Lake Michigan and there are 3-4 communities with lots of lake charter firms and many others fish Michigan as well and they are really well stocked for those users as well as all the others.

Bryce