Rural living requires certain necessities year-round, and now the rural county of Franklin has another store that provides those necessities. Tractor Supply Company, located next to Foodland in Russellville, had its soft opening Sept. 30 and an invitation-only preview party Sept. 29.

Mayor David Grissom, several council members and Sheriff Shannon Oliver were among those in attendance at the preview party showing support for the new business.

According to store manager Renae Halbrooks, it was a busy two days.

“The customer response has been incredible. It’s everything that I expected it to be,” Halbrooks said.

Halbrooks said this particular Tractor Supply location is unique for a few different reasons – like the pet wash station set up at the back of the store. “We sell a ton of pet supplies, so I know people will benefit from this a lot,” she said.

The store is already set for Christmas and winter with heating supplies, toys and décor, but Halbrooks said based the community’s needs, Tractor Supply will keep certain products in stock year-round – like lime, deer corn, lawnmowers and pesticides.

“We’re all about taking care of our customers. We try to do that in every way possible,” Halbrooks said.

Halbrooks said Tractor Supply’s motto is Work Hard, Have Fun and Make Money, and she credits her team with doing just that.

“We’re like a family. We’re always having fun, but we also work hard. We’re always looking for opportunities to help our customers,” she said.

The new location is one of almost 1,700 stores nationwide, and Halbrooks said Tractor Supply is slated to open about 100 stores a year.