Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawn McGhee.
Shawn, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Prior to purchasing Memphis-based Hollywood Feed, I was an executive vice president at AutoZone. AutoZone is another Memphis-based brand – one that grew from a single store to 5,000+ locations. From my experience there, I learned how important it is to identify the key factors that make a store successful. After that, effectively replicating that blueprint across optimal markets in ideal locations is critical to an organization’s growth. When we bought Hollywood Feed a little over 10 years ago, we had only a handful of stores in the Memphis area. Now, we expect to have 60+ stores across the Southeast.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a very rewarding experience. but NO ONE would be advised to start a business in 2008. The economic recession was hard on everyone – and we were no exception. Due to the recession, it took longer than we thought to get to where we are, but getting the store and company blueprint solidified during such a difficult time has made us stronger. We tested a lot of different ideas – some of which are still in our stores today. Now that we’ve figured out what works best in terms of store features and layout, we’ve experienced some very rapid growth. In fact, we’ve doubled in size in just the past couple of years.
Hollywood Feed – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We offer a wide selection of natural and holistic pet food and products. We serve customers in more than 50 stores across the Southeast in Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Texas. We’re most proud of our both our high-quality products and our “pack” of team members. One thing that sets us apart is the expert knowledge our team members have. Each team member attends 40 hours of classroom training per year about pet nutrition, including trips to research and development conferences that feature talks by staff veterinarians, clinical researchers and PhDs. Another item that differentiates us is our involvement in the local community. We have sponsored several dog parks and we also support local animal rescues via adoption and community events in every market we serve. Lastly, we have our very own Mississippi Made line of dog beds, leashes, collars and accessories made right here in the south.
Who else deserves the credit, have you had mentors, supporters, cheerleaders, etc.?
My family has been a great support – in fact, my wife (Jean) serves as our senior buyer, making sure we have the best offerings that our customers and their pets desire. My business partners took a risk almost 11 years ago and have been meaningful supporters all along the way. Most importantly the Hollywood Feed team of employees is responsible, in large part, for our success. Our customers don’t come in just to buy dog food. They come in to get advice and guidance on how to provide their furry family members with the best nutrition and quality of life – and we’re able to provide just that.
Contact Info:
- Address: Roswell: 1125 Woodstock RoadSuite 350 Roswell, GA 30075
Duluth: 2220 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.Suite B100 Duluth, GA 30097
Alpharetta/Johns Creek: 3000 Old Alabama Rd. Suite 124 Johns Creek, GA 30022 - Website: www.hollywoodfeed.com
- Phone: Roswell: (678) 795-9096; Duluth: (770) 802-5097; Alpharetta/Johns Creek: (678) 404-5812
- Email: bark@hollywoodfeed.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hwfeed/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/hwfeed/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/hwfeed
- Other: www.youtube.com/user/hwfeed; www.pinterest.com/HWFeed/
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