Longview Mill Adjusts To Meet Customer Needs
Loafing is an art form still alive and well at the Longview Mill. Locals can regularly be found, milling about the entryway, talking weather, discussing current events, or sharing the ups and downs of life on a farm.
Longview Mill has been serving the community for close to four decades. Tim Littlefield owns the business and operates on the principle of personableness.
“We have old school customer service, which you don’t find at a chain store,” he said. “We greet every customer by name.”
Longview Mill no longer features a functioning feed mill, but it does carry products for every home — from livestock medication, climate gear and mineral tubs to pet supplies, local jams and a stockpile of seeds. Littlefield attributes the varied inventory to a constantly elongating market.
“We used to cater to traditional farmers, but we have something for everyone now,” he said. “One of the urban trends we’re seeing is more people wanting to grow their own food, whether it’s growing a small garden or raising animals.”
Littlefield said the mill primarily services local cow-calf operations, but the business is growing to accommodate agriculture farming as well.
The hottest (and coldest) items at Longview Mill this season are Green Mountain grills and customizable Pierce coolers. Green Mountain grills are heavyduty and burn a selection of flavored pellets, perfect for smoking meats.
“We cooked a pork loin on one today for lunch; it was wonderful,” added employee, Mike Bratton. “I’ve got one at home too. I really love it.”
Pierce coolers are able to hold ice for five days and come equipped with a cutting board, basket, cup holder, bottle-cap openers, a pressure-release valve and a five-year warranty.
With each season comes new responsibilities on a farm. This means the demand for supplies at Longview Mill is constantly changing as well.
“Feed season is shrinking and, if the cold weather quits, it’ll soon be time to bale hay,” he said. “We’ll go through lots of herbicide sprays, nets and balers then.”
Longview Mill is located at 16741 E Highway 76, near Rocky Comfort. The store is open from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
“Big or small, we can feed them all,” promises Littlefield.