Loads of fans of Roach Feed & Seed, young and old alike, were on hand to celebrate the store’s 90th birthday Saturday, June 24. Store owner Shanna Carter hosted a fun-filled party that everyone enjoyed despite the summer heat. Money raised from a raffle for a wood pellet grill benefited Hope Clinic and Good Samaritans. There were also great giveaways every half hour.
The kids enjoyed a bounce house and archery game. Everyone loved petting the dogs being walked through the crowd by Garland Animal Services. However, the dog races took the prize. The dogs were hilarious as they wandered around while their owners tried to coax them to run the course.
Carter bought the store in 2018, and she has done a great job ensuring that the feel of the store remained the same. The friendly, homey atmosphere is a large part of the reason why the store is so special to Garland residents, as well as people from other North Texas cities.
Jack McDaniel, the owner before Carter, attended the celebration and said that he was glad to have the chance to visit with customers he hadn’t seen for a while. McDaniel began working at the store in 1949. He later bought the store from Haskell Roach, who opened the store in 1933.
Party participants shared some of the reasons that Roach Feed & Seed is special to them. A few of them are below:
- Brings back memories of when they would go there with their parents.
- Parents often took them there to see the baby chicks. Now they take their kids to see them.
- Calm, relaxed feeling they get when they’re there. There is a feeling like they are going back in time.
- Great customer service.
- Knowledgeable staff can tell them what is wrong with a plant, garden, grass, etc. by looking at a small sample. And, then tell them how to fix it.
- They carry a large variety of products.