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09/23/2015 12:00 AMTractor Supply Co. is set for a soft opening on Saturday, Oct 31 and a grand opening on Saturday, Nov. 7. The store is a part of a new trend in development in Guilford’s west and Branford’s east end.
The farming megastore, which refers to itself as “the largest operator of rural lifestyle retail stores in the United States,” offers everything from clothing to welding products and has multiple other locations in Connecticut.
The west end of town had most recently been in the spotlight due to the failed propane storage proposal by J.J. Sullivan, Inc., which drew strong local opposition. While Tractor Supply will sell propane, Guilford Economic Development Coordinator Brian McGlone said the scale of propane stored on site could not be compared.
“Similar to other facilities in town, they will have a propane tank refilling station,” he said. “The reality is what was being pursued by J.J. Sullivan, while they would have had a similar type retail refilling station, they were also going to have larger storage as well. These refilling stations will be much smaller in size.”
Guilford’s agricultural background was a factor in drawing the store to the area, McGlone said..
“Tractor Supply has been interested in Guilford for several years,” he said. “Based on their research, they have a strong customer base in the greater Guilford area and they wanted to find a location to service that demand.”
The location on the west end was more of a coincidence than a strategy, according to McGlone.
“It was the marriage of their need and the owner of the properties willingness to sell the property,” he said. “It just worked out like that.”
The property on which Tractor Supply is being built could possibly be further developed at a later date.
“When Tractor Supply pursued that land, which is about four acres in total, the owner of the property asked for a rezoning from residential to commercial zone,” he said. “There are about 30 acres behind Tractor Supply that are approved for numerous types of commercial development, but there is no plan in the works at this point in time.”
McGlone said there is no other store in the area that had been able to provide everything Guilford farmers needed.
“We have heard very positive feedback from the farming community, the smaller farms, the family farms that are in town because many of them had been driving an hour, hour and a half each way to get their supplies and materials that they need,” he said. “Many members of the agricultural community said that they are very excited to have this in their back yard to buy the supplies they use on a daily and weekly basis.”