The Tractor Supply Story

In 1938, Charles E. Schmidt Sr. of Chicago, Illinois, established a mail-order tractor parts business from his kitchen table, and by 1939, it had grown into a successful retail store in Minot, North Dakota. Sixty-six years later, TSC had grown to over 1,500 stores, with combined revenues of more than $1.7 billion. This book tells the story of how a very simple retail idea survived the Great Depression, a world at war, the clutches of two huge corporate behemoths and a decade of revolving door leadership that saw no less than five different individuals at the company’s helm. CREDITS: Creative Director and Writer: Nelson Eddy; Art Director and Designer: Jeff Porter; Photography: Tractor Supply Co. photo archives, David Bailey, Wolf Hoffman; Agency: DVL.