What could be better than an equestrian small business? Those that are run by women, of course! To celebrate National Women’s Small Business Month, we’ve decided to feature some of our favorite women-owned retailers! First up: AJ’s Stafford Feed & Pet Supply in Tualatin, Oregon.

AJ’s is owned by Linda Arakelian-Dorie of Oregon. Linda has built her country feed store from the ground up, with the support of her family and her own hard-earned money, over the last 22 years. Like the true horseman that Linda is, AJ’s Feed was founded on a spark of passion from a young horse girl with big dreams.

“At the age of eight, living next to the Lake Oswego Hunt Club, I knew animals were always going to be part of my life, especially horses. Coming from a large family, I knew if I wanted to take riding lessons or some day own a horse, I needed to come up with a plan to help pay for my passion. After graduation from Portland State University, I knew early on I wanted to someday own my own business. Working in the corporate world of sales, I enjoyed selling and meeting all the wonderful people in my travels. The only missing link was how could I incorporate my love for animals?” – Linda Arakelian-Dorie

The Start of the Tualatin, Oregon Country Feed Store

Being the true entrepreneur that she is, Linda saw a bright opportunity when her Veterinarian decided to relocate his practice and sell his building. She spent the next two years researching market trends and planning AJ’s and first opened the doors in May of 2001. AJ’s has been supplying the local community of Tualatin, Oregon, and surrounding areas with locally sourced and well-thought-out products, including feed, bedding, hay, tack, farm and pet supplies,  and of course – horse treats; to farmers, homesteaders, hobbyists, and pet owners ever since. She uses many of the products on her shelves for her own animals at home – including our horse treats!

A Pet Supply Store with Intent and Purpose

“My sweet Horse Harley was diagnosed with IR. A to Z cookies are perfect for him! Many of our customers love how soft the texture is for dosing or for their senior horses.” – Linda Arakelian-Dorie

We are so very proud that Linda carries our A to Z Horse Cookies in her country feed store – we know that she only selects the finest products for her customers! We appreciate her dedication to making sure that horse owners have high-quality options available for rewarding, medicating, and just enjoying snacks with their horses.

You can visit AJ’s website at www.ajsfeed.com and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.