| Blain Supply, Inc. | |
| Trade Name: | Blain's Farm & Fleet |
| Foundation: | 1955 |
| Location: | Janesville, Wisconsin, United States |
| Products: | Clothing, footwear, housewares, lawn & garden, farm equipment, automotive, sporting goods, hunting fishing, toys |
| Locations: | 45 stores (2024) |
| Revenue: | US$ 512 million (2022) |
| Num Employees: | 1,000 |
| Num Employees Year: | 2022 |
Blain Supply, Inc., doing business as Blain's Farm & Fleet, is a regional chain of 45 retail stores in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Michigan. Blain's Farm & Fleet was an early adopter of "buy online, pick up at the store" in which all stores provide a drive-thru pick-up experience so online orders can be retrieved without consumers having to leave the car.[1]
The company was founded in Janesville, Wisconsin, in 1955 by brothers W. C. "Claude" Blain and N. A. "Bert" Blain.[2] Similarly-named Mills Fleet Farm was also founded in 1955 by Blain family friends. The two families agreed to use similar names and have historically operated in different territories.[3] [4] Each Blain's retail store is part of Farm and Fleet Stores which operate in four divisions by region, while the distribution is handled by a separate entity, Blain Supply.[5] The business is family-owned, privately held corporation run by President and CEO Jane Blain Gilbertson since her brother, Robert Blain, retired in 2014. Robert had been President since 1993, taking over after the death of Bert Blain.[6] The chain has one distribution center in Janesville. In January 2018, the company announced it would be expanding into Michigan with 5 stores located in Portage, Jackson, Traverse City, Holland and Walker.[7]
The stores sell tires, agricultural supplies and equipment, hunting and fishing equipment and licenses, kitchen appliances, housewares, automotive goods, men's & women's clothing, household hardware, lawn and garden supplies, outdoor power tools, pumps and generators, paint, pet supplies, candy, sporting goods, tools and toys.