From left, Marketing Director Jake Wilson, Retail Stores President Sam Bugarsky and Director of Store Operations T.J. Colson stand outside the Wilco store in Redmond, which held a grand opening in August. (Bill Mintiens/Spokesman photo)

Powell Butte cattleman Richard Bartels built a specialty feed business on his expertise in raising livestock for show.

After eight years, Bartels said he took orders mostly via text message and had no need for a storefront.

Yet he believes he held a significant share of the market. And when he decided it was time to sell, all it took was one phone call to a friend in management at Wilco, the Mt. Angel-based cooperative with three stores in Central Oregon, he said.

Wilco acquired Bartels Show Feeds this week for an undisclosed sum, the company announced.

“I compete with Oregon Feed and Irrigation. I compete with Coastal. All them guys are probably glad to get me out of the picture,” Bartels said. “I sold a lot of feed. I’m in the livestock industry. I know everybody. I can sell just about anything.”

Bartels said he was the only Central Oregon distributor of Rival Show Feeds, developed by a friend in California. Wilco stated in a press release that the business will be relocated to the Bend, Prineville and Redmond stores. Wilco opened its third Central Oregon store in Redmond in August. The store is on Odem Medo Way next to a former Albertsons grocery store in a space formerly occupied by Rite Aid. Representatives of Wilco couldn’t be reached for further comment.

Bartels will work as an “ambassador” for Wilco, which means he will attend cattle shows to promote the products and direct customers to Wilco, he said.

The sale was prompted by a change in shipping logistics, Bartels said. He lost his trucking provider, and while he could have found a new company, it very likely would have been more expensive. He didn’t like the idea of raising prices to customers, he said.

Bartels said he reached out to Wilco because the company is so involved in youth agriculture.

Adult cattle owners provided most of his revenue, but young people raising livestock for shows were his most frequent customers.

Bartels, who has been showing cattle since 1982, said he’ll miss interacting with those customers. “It was a big part of my life.”

— Reporter: kmclaughlin@bendbulletin.com, 541-617-7860