After 140 Years, Burlington County Animal Feed And Supply Store To Close Its Doors
By Cleve Bryan
MEDFORD, N.J., (CBS) -- After 140 years Kirby Bros animal feed and supply store announced it is closing at the end of the year.
Chuck Kirby who owns the store with his wife says that an unusually warm winter was the last straw for the business's already struggling finances.
Since what few farmers let in the Medford area could let their livestock graze longer than usual this year, it zapped the need for feed.
The warm weather also decreased demand for birdseed which is the sole product Kirby Bros still makes after opening as a feed and flour mill in 1875.
Chuck says his son Chaz would be the 6th generation to own the business but unfortunately he won't be passing it down.
"It was all handed down great grandfather to grandfather, grandfather to father, father to me and I was hoping to be able to hand it down to myself but it's not in the cards," says Kirby.
They will close the North Main Street store on December 31 and will liquidate remaining inventory before eventually putting the building up for sale.