New Tractor Supply Co. manager knows small towns
McCOOK, Neb. -- Jason Davis is a small town boy with a deep-rooted agricultural background. The new McCook Tractor Supply Co. manager grew up in Alvo, Neb., (population 150), where his family farmed and raised racehorses. Growing up, he showed livestock in 4-H and FFA, starting with rabbits, sheep, hogs, on up to cattle. He often accompanied his family to the horse track, where he would help out wherever he was needed.
He attended college in Lincoln, hoping to become a history teacher. "I've always been a history buff," said Jason. He said that he always made sure that he had one or two history courses each semester because his passion for history helped keep his grade point average up. "I wasn't so fond of math, but I could go through my history courses without ever buying a book." Jason's favorite period of history is World War II and the Civil War. "There were a lot of big personalities in those eras."
During college, he began working at the Earl May Nursery in Lincoln, starting out in the front check out area and working up to Assistant Manager. "I was the one at Earl May who could tell you how to kill it, grow it, or feed it," Jason joked. He stayed with Earl May for 13 years.
In February 2013, Jason started working at the Tractor Supply Co. warehouse in Waverly a very short distance from his home in Alvo. Later that year he transferred to Beatrice where he worked his way up to Assistant Manager. "I learned a lot at the Beatrice store," said Jason.
Last year, he helped with a store in Irvington, and was then offered the manager position at the new McCook store. He has been in McCook since January. "I like McCook a lot," Jason said. "It is big enough that you can get almost anything you need here, but small enough that you can get to know people. And I like the lighter traffic. The Irvington store was really a suburb of Omaha, and I wasn't a fan of the traffic."
The McCook Tractor Supply Co., located at 208 Westview Plaza, employs eleven full and part-time people. "We have a great staff here in McCook," Jason said. "They have been very helpful and are very knowledgeable." The store is open seven days a week. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. The soft opening Friday was "a big hit" according to Jason. "We were packed right up until 8 p.m."
Tractor Supply Co. was founded in 1938 as a mail order catalog business offering tractor parts to America's family farmers. Headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, the company operates over 1,500 stores in 49 states. In fact, the McCook store is number 1,512. The McCook store carries a wide selection of feed, according to Jason, "everything from dog, cat, small animal, goat to pot belly pig feed. If we don't have it, we can get it in."
Other merchandise includes clothing and footwear, trailers and accessories, lawn and garden supplies, tools, toolboxes, gun safes, fencing, lawn mowers, and power generators. Chicks should arrive sometime this week. They will carry bedding plants this spring. Jason encourages shoppers to let him know if there is something they are looking for. "We can get in just about anything you may need," he said.
A ribbon cutting will take place tomorrow at 10 a.m. The grand opening will be Saturday, with many special features planned. "The FFA will be cooking out and running a concession stand. Cub Cadet will have a tent set up with demonstrations of their products, lawn mowers and lawn equipment.
"We will be having several drawings, giving away a log splitter and numerous gift cards," Jason said.