Amador County – The co-owner of Plymouth-area Ranchers Outlet said Thursday they are working to help local farmers meet their needs, through hard times.

Co-owner Rick Vicini said they have been here about 10 years, down Highway 16 toward Sacramento, three miles from the Plymouth Hardware & Feed Store. TSPN erroneously reported that Rick was owner of Plymouth Hardware, which has closed. But Rick said he and his wife Cindy, co-own Ranchers Outlet, are still open, and in fact have expanded their hours. He said more importantly, they are not closing.

Vicini said he was aware Plymouth Hardware was closing on the 31st. Then all of a sudden they closed last week.

Plymouth City Council is planning to give a certificate of appreciation to Jim Campbell, for serving the community for 18 years with Plymouth Hardware & Feed Store. Vice Mayor Jon Colburn is also working to get a new hardware store operator to open in town. Colburn said last week he has been working with Chris Fragapane, owner of Jackson True Value Hardware, and they have looked at three locations in Plymouth for a prospective site.

Vicini said Ranchers Outlet, a feed and supply store, at 6980 State Highway 16, near Willow Creek Road, is a working ranch, the RC Livestock Ranch. RC stands for Rick & Cindy. It is a “mom and pop store,” but “we’re gearing up to help people with the loss of that store,” which leaves people with less opportunity to buy feed and supplies locally. And another feed store near Raley’s closed two months ago, and now focuses on horse rider training. He said it is so hard for so many businesses to try to make it right now, due to the economy, and they are trying to help.

The Vicinis’ fewer employees keep costs lower, and he said it was not about trying to undercut Feed Barn, or the former Plymouth Feed store. He said it was about helping local ranches save.

They are planning to upgrade their old storage barn with a potbellied stove and give a gathering area to the store. They like giving the small-town feel to visitors, especially children, who can see the livestock: llamas, goats, pigs, cows and horses. Vicini said he and Cindy are the last pig breeders in Amador County, and most of the pigs at the County Fair come from their ranch. He was also surprised at how many kids have not learned that milk comes from cows.

“We’re just a small business,” and “we were afraid we were going to have to close.” The close of the Plymouth feed store has helped business at Ranchers Outlet, where the Vicinis have previously been open late afternoons, because the couple both worked. Now, they are both out of work, and have started opening Ranchers Outlet 9-6 Wednesday through Friday, and 9-5 on Saturday, along with late afternoons on Monday and Tuesday.

Vicini said “we are here and we are open more hours and trying to help people.” He said he thought there was enough room in Amador County for two feed stores.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.