TRACTOR SUPPLY CO. Nashville, Tennessee; Making Big-City Profit With Rural Customers.(THE NEW AMERICA)

Byline: KIRK SHINKLE

With $1.2 billion in expected sales this year, Tractor Supply Co.'s business isn't exactly chicken feed. But chicken feed is a good example of what's behind that number.

The Nashville, Tenn.-based retailer has carved out a profitable niche serving modern gentleman farmers. Its products aren't what you'll find on the shelves at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. or Home Depot Inc.

Instead, the firm offers products that cater to the specific needs of the pickup-and-horse leisure set that shuns city life but not modern convenience.

That means everything from snowblowers and well pumps to rugged work clothing. Animal feed makes up a big chunk of sales, since a third of shoppers own horses, and almost all own dogs or cats.

The average customer is 44 years old and boasts an annual income that's 15% higher than the national average. He's equally as likely to be a she, because the firm sells about the same amount to both genders.

These folks aren't full-time farmers. They're hobbyist ranchers and farmers who enjoy the rural lifestyle. Full-time agrarians make up only 8% of Tractor Supply's customers.