# Fleet Farm vs Farm and Fleet **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 26, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fleet-farm-vs-farm-and-fleet/374257 "2006-09-26T20:11:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fleet-farm-vs-farm-and-fleet/374257/1 "2006-09-26T20:11:14Z")
Midwest dopers may know there are two similar stores: Fleet Farm and Farm & Fleet. They sell similar stuff (some clothing, tools, automotive, lawnmowers, animal care etc). Many have wondered what the difference between them is (I’ve heard stories that it was two brothers who split the buisiness). Well today I was at a career fair and Farm & Fleet was there and I asked: It was two separate families who started similar buisinesses about the same time. The two families know each other and were part of the same buying group in the early years (circa 1955). They have an unwritten rule that they wont open a store in the same town as the competitor. LaCrosse/Winona and Chippewa Falls / Eau Claire (I think) are about as close as they get. So thats the story - no divorce, no squabbling siblings. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fleet-farm-vs-farm-and-fleet/374257/2 "2006-09-26T20:34:16Z")
I wasn’t aware of [Fleet Farm,](http://www.fleetfarm.com/locations_and_hours/) which is basically a Wisconsin and Minnesota phenomenon. However, I began seeing and hearing Quality Farm & Fleet commercials shortly after moving to Indiana. The Quality stores went bankrupt, but [Blain’s Farm and Fleet](http://www.farmandfleet.com/storelocator.asp) still serves Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fleet-farm-vs-farm-and-fleet/374257/3 "2006-09-26T20:51:01Z")
IIRC, there Blain’s Farm and Fleet, and there’s Mill’s Fleet Farm. I grew up with Farm & Fleet in Platteville, WI and is the only one I’m aware of. It seems like there is a line that goes north west from southern WI that separates the two. ---
**Author:** ![Barrels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@Barrels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrels)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fleet-farm-vs-farm-and-fleet/374257/4 "2006-09-26T20:55:52Z")
[QUOTE=brewha] IIRC, there Blain’s Farm and Fleet, and there’s Mill’s Fleet Farm. I grew up with Farm & Fleet in Platteville, WI and is the only one I’m aware of. It seems like there is a line that goes north west from southern WI that separates the two. [/QUOTE] There is a Farm and Fleet in Madison on Hwy 51, there is one in Monroe also. Between the 2 chains there are 65 store in WI, MN, IA and IL. Right now both FF’s are my favorite stores in the whole wide world because they both picked up and are carrying my products 😃 Barrels ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2006, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fleet-farm-vs-farm-and-fleet/374257/5 "2006-09-26T21:21:33Z")
[QUOTE=brewha] IIRC, there Blain’s Farm and Fleet, and there’s Mill’s Fleet Farm. I grew up with Farm & Fleet in Platteville, WI and is the only one I’m aware of. It seems like there is a line that goes north west from southern WI that separates the two. [/QUOTE] Hijack: I went to UW-Platteville, and go back once a year for PlatteCon (gaming convention) Brian ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fleet-farm-vs-farm-and-fleet/374257/6 "2006-09-28T15:21:22Z")
Hijack continued: I just graduated from UWP last may in Mechanical Engineering. When did you graduate? What did you go for? ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fleet-farm-vs-farm-and-fleet/374257/7 "2006-09-28T17:08:04Z")
BSEE 1990. Brian ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fleet-farm-vs-farm-and-fleet/374257/8 "2006-09-28T17:12:31Z")
Fleet Farm Forever! None of that Farm & Fleet business for me! P.S. I was born in Platteville, but I don’t think I rememeber you guys. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fleet-farm-vs-farm-and-fleet/374257/9 "2006-09-28T17:12:49Z")
Fleet Farm Forever! None of that Farm & Fleet business for me! P.S. I was born in Platteville, but I don’t think I remember you guys. ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fleet-farm-vs-farm-and-fleet/374257/10 "2006-09-28T20:28:37Z")
The husband of a former co-worker has a simple philosophy: “If Fleet Farm doesn’t have it, you don’t need it.”