Tractor Supply mum on sales

Tractor Supply Co. didn’t have anything encouraging to say about its sales performance after nearly two months doing business in Maricopa.

“We unfortunately are not able to disclose sales information or comparison to other stores at this time,” said company spokesperson Annalee Rivers.

It’s an unusual move for a new business in the city. Most in recent months touted jaw-dropping grand opening sales.

A grand opening mecca

In November, Slim Chickens reported breaking a company record for the highest-grossing first day in sales compared to its 180 other stores in 36 states and on three continents.

On opening day, the restaurant served nearly 3,000 customers, totaling more than 4% of the city’s population.

Thai Chili 2 Go’s CEO and owner Akshat Sethi had similar comments for its Maricopa location.

“It was one of our strongest openings in the brand and it’s been one of our top performing stores,” Sethi told InMaricopa. “It was absolutely phenomenal.”

He said the store’s performance has also influenced the company’s decision to begin expanding into other markets, like Flagstaff and Tucson.

“This was our gateway into going to other cities, like Tucson or Flagstaff,” Sethi said. “It’s still a little distant for us, but Maricopa was a little test for us to see how we hold up with the distance.”

In-store sales down a tick

Last year, Brentwood, Tenn.-based Tractor Supply had nearly 2,200 stores in operation across the U.S., including three dozen in Arizona.

In its most recent quarterly report, the company reported a net sales increase of 4.3% due in part to new store openings, but in-store sales fell by 0.4%.

Annual numbers for 2023 will be reported next month.