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Owners Of Horses, Other Animals Stock Up At Feed Depot

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By ELAINE MARKOWITZ

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 25, 2008

ODESSA - Nestled in Fox's Corner where Gunn Highway meets North Mobley Road is the Feed Depot, a one-stop shopping mecca for some of man's best friends: not only dogs, but also cats, goats, sheep, rabbits, ducks, birds and - primarily - horses.

First opened by Tom and Eleanor Fox in 1949 in northwestern Hillsborough County, the store began as an all-purpose country store called Fox's Corner. At that time it stood alone in what is now a small shopping center bearing the same name.

Anyone owning a pet or raising horses need travel no farther than the Feed Depot to get supplies. The products provide a feast for the eyes and address almost every grooming and health need of furry and feathered creatures.

"A majority of our business is dedicated to the equine industry," store manager Bob Thackeray said one recent morning. "In this area we have a lot of horse farms, training farms and boarding facilities."

Thackeray said the store, at 16820 Gunn Highway, also draws business from the nearby racetrack, Tampa Bay Downs, during the season.

"Our clients are good people who care about animals and will go the extra mile for their pets," he said. "Most are country people who have lived here a long time."

Keyword: Feed Depot, for an audio slide show on the store.

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