Beloved Chelsea Farmers Supply Faces New Chapter as Owners Plan to Retire

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By Doug Marrin, with Greg Raye

For nearly a century, Chelsea Farmers Supply has been a beloved fixture in the heart of downtown Chelsea, Michigan. This quaint local business has served the community and surrounding areas for over 97 years. But now, the current owners are preparing to pass the torch to the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Nestled across the tracks from the Clocktower Complex and next to the historic train depot, the building at 122 Jackson Street has watched the community of Chelsea grow for over a century.

Originally constructed as a family home on Main Street in the 1850s, the building was relocated to its current lot in 1889, transforming into The Chelsea House Hotel. The hotel catered to rail travelers visiting the Glazier Stove Company and exploring the budding town of Chelsea.

In 1926, an iron feed mill was installed in the basement, giving birth to Chelsea Farmers Supply. The original Farmers Supply catered to Chelsea’s rich agricultural industry by mixing and selling their livestock feed and various farming tools. The shop became known as a meeting place for local farmers to stock up, talk shop, and commiserate with those working the many farms around Chelsea, Dexter, Manchester, and Stockbridge.

When the longtime owners, Anton and Dorothy Nielsen, planned to retire in 1990, the future of the building and business was uncertain. However, the structure and business caught the attention of H.K. Leonard and her husband, Greg Raye. H.K. spent much of her childhood in Chelsea, where her parents, Helen and Walter Leonard, owned and operated the local newspapers: The Chelsea Standard and The Dexter Leader. H.K. worked at the family newspaper business when the Nielsens announced their retirement.

“I grew up going there because it was right across the train tracks from the newspaper office. [Anton and Dorothy] were our friends, and I remember how heartbroken we all were when we found out the building was probably going to be torn down,” recalls Leonard.

Greg was a relatively new architect with a particular interest in community revitalization. Desperate to save the historic business from destruction, the couple purchased and continued the legacy of Chelsea Farmers Supply.

“Neither of us knew much about farming, but we knew we wanted to continue to build roots in Chelsea and felt that Farmers Supply was an important part of Chelsea's history and character,” says Raye.

Over their 33-year tenure, H.K. and Greg expanded the business beyond farm goods, offering pet food and toys, gardening supplies, bird seed, and locally made items. While growing the business, they raised three children who often played in the aisles and greeted customers after school.

“It’s a real family business,” says Leonard. “The kids grew up here and had their first jobs at Farmers Supply. Even now that they’re all grown and have left Chelsea, they like to drop in and visit when they can.”

These days when you walk into Chelsea Farmers Supply, you’ll typically be greeted by H.K. and Greg, along with their beloved dog, Ellie, who comes to work with them every day. But now, after more than three decades, H.K. and Greg are looking to step down from the business and sell Chelsea Farmers Supply.

“We’re proud to have grown this local fixture that captures the small-town energy of Chelsea,” says Leonard, “and now we’re ready to see where the next generation can take it. We’re looking forward to the next chapter.”

The couple is working with a broker to prepare the business for sale. They hope to see the shop continue in some form, understanding that the next owners may adapt the business to meet the evolving market, just as they did.

“We came into this business with a vision and not much experience. Dorothy and Anton coached us, set us up with their distributors, and shared their process for running a small business, and we would be willing to offer the same to whoever the next owners are,” says Raye. “We’re ready to retire, but our goal in 1990 of keeping this incredible piece of history alive hasn’t changed.”

Photo courtesy of Greg Raye

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