Here is the front of River Valley Feed and Pet Supply, as seen from 16th Street in Rio Linda. 

RIO LINDA, CA (MPG) - For more than 30 years on the corner of 16th Street and Elkhorn Boulevard in Rio Linda, River Valley Feed and Pet Supply has served the community, providing accommodating service in a rapidly changing industry. 

Randall Welker, the store’s operations manager, said he has been at the store since 2012 and has seen the store grow in several ways over the years. 

“The food, it’s an ever changing thing,” Welker said. “Brands come and go; nutrition is ever changing. What was the ‘in food’ of five years ago isn’t even on the shelves anymore.”

Welker said that River Valley Feed and Pet Supply has been a huge supplier of chickens and all the necessary commodities for residents to raise them, as well as featuring products for other pets such as horses, reptiles, cats and dogs. 

“We’re very accommodating to special orders,” Welker said. “We may not stock it but we’ll order it for you. Whatever you want if we can get it.”

Welker manages the product inventory on the store’s website and said he has added as many products as possible to show variety “for such a small store.” 

Cashiers assist customers at River Valley Feed and Pet Supply, located at 6549 16th St. in Rio Linda. 

Serene Doria, a Rio Linda resident and cashier at River Valley Feed and Pet Supply, said she has been at the store for two years and loves working with the animals. Doria has many animals at home, including snakes, lizards, chickens and dogs, giving her relatable experience to numerous customers. 

“I enjoy what I’m working with and helping people to gain the knowledge that they might not know and getting them on the right track,” Doria said. 

Another River Valley Feed and Pet Supply cashier, Bailey Buckles, said she is also a Rio Linda resident and has worked at River Valley for three years. One of her favorite parts about working at the store, Buckles said, is being in the heart of her hometown, talking to people that she knows and grew up with. 

“The animals are a great plus but I don’t know, I kind of just like being in the midst of everything,” Buckles said. “Kinda knowing what’s going on, it keeps me updated.”

Buckles said she grew up coming to River Valley Feed and Pet Supply and “has a lot of memories” there but is also making memories with customers now as an employee. 

A regular customer with an older boxer pup that had allergies and other health concerns was able to transition into eating the “good stuff,” Buckles said. After some time, the customer came back to thank Buckles. The customer informed her that the pup had unfortunately died but the customer was thankful for their assistance providing high quality products and support. 

“It kind of warms my heart to know that she was still thinking of us even though, you know, that had just happened to her, that she lost her dog,” Buckles said. 

A group of four cows huddle around a trough of water for a cool drink on a hot day. 

Buckles said she has a dog and two cats and grew up on a small farm in Rio Linda on 24th Street with chickens, ducks, geese and goats.

Buckles and Welker said that chicken scratch is probably their number one seller and Buckles said there are multiple options to choose from. 

Online orders from River Valley Feed and Pet Supply more than $75 receive free shipping and large deliveries for items such as hay bales that require a flatbed truck should expect to see a $45 delivery charge. Large deliveries can be placed in person or over the phone and delivery days are Mondays through Fridays. 

According to rivervalleyfeed.com, the store provides propane refills, dog washing and a loyalty program. Military, police and fire members receive a 5% discount on their entire purchase. On Sundays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., preventative veterinary care is available on behalf of VIP Petcare, a business running more than 2,900 clinics within retail stores.

River Valley Feed is located at 6549 16th St. in Rio Linda across from Calvary Baptist Church. The store is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Welker said that brand representatives come into the store and train staff on the products, giving them better insight to help customers. He once recommended a food brand, Nutrisource, for a woman’s cat, Welker said, because he knew it would remedy the issues the pet owner described and she came back to thank the staff for their recommendation. 

“That’s so cool to have that experience of ‘hey, I’ve been trained that this will fix problems’ and to actually see it in action and have someone come back and say, ‘hey, this worked,’” Welker said.