I love to use these GardenLine Friday Profiles to go deep into the history of some of our advertising partners.
You probably know that I’m a big fan of good old-fashioned feed stores, so this week’s spotlight is all about League City Feed & Supply. Before the days of mass merchandiser and big-box stores, farm-and-ranch radio shows like those heard on KTRH would help suburban homeowners keep their landscape green and flowering by urging them to visit nearby feed stores.
Here we are in 2020, and I still love to send people to those old-school stores because they continue to carry all the products needed for rice farmers, horse owners … and homeowners. Better yet, they offer the exact products necessary for successful Gulf Coast gardening.
League City Feed at 1914 State Highway 3 South has been providing farmers, ranchers and homeowners the right stuff since 1980. Jerry Funderburg started the business by purchasing an existing Purina dealership at the site. His son, Cary, who has worked at the store since the day he graduated from high school, purchased the business from Jerry in 1993. Two of Cary’s three sons, Wesly and Adam, work at the store, too. Wesly is the manager, and college student Adam pitches in when he can. And it appears that Cary’s grandson, Ryan, seen in the pictures, will eventually be the fourth generation taking on responsibilities in this family owned-and-operated store.
I’ll bet dollars to donuts that when Jerry started this store, he never imagined that sleepy little League City would grow from 15,000 people to 115,000 today. Or that it would become an enduring garden product shop for local homeowners.
They have also become the go-to shop for area pet owners, offering a wide variety of pet food and pet supplies. That’s in addition to helping those who own livestock. And this is also a true do-it-yourself pest-control store.
Of course, they support local schools’ FFA and 4-H programs and the Galveston County Master Gardeners program.
At League City Feed, they pride themselves on responding to every customer’s need, and I love that Cary has been a fan of the GardenLine Fertilization Schedule for years. I applaud Cary’s marketing savvy and make sure he stocks products I endorse and lets Facebook followers know he carries them.
If you live in Santa Fe, Dickinson, San Leon, La Marque, Baycliff, Webster, Clear Lake City or along El Camino Real, you should get to know League City Feed. The store is at 1914 State Highway 3, just south of League City Parkway - what long-time residents know as Highway 96. Go slow as you turn off the parkway, or you might just miss it. There’s a big truck-style cargo carrier used for storing hay and other stuff on the north side of the building, and that might prevent you from spotting the store. There’s nothing flashy about this place, and that’s why it appeals to folks like me. The modest style also helps them keep prices down on everything from lawn care and pet care to all the good old-fashioned feed store products that were featured in the original store 40 years ago.