GUILDERLAND — The owner of the new Farmers Feed & Tractor Supply store on Route 20 is selling more than grain and chainsaws; he’s selling an old-fashioned way of doing business.
"We’re farmers here," owner Tim Alund told a customer who was scratching his head. "Where I come from, we do million-dollar deals with a handshake."

Alund had just sold a tractor to a man and then told him to take it right off the lot and not worry about his first interest-free payment for another two months.
"Why would you do that"" the confused man responded.
"Why wouldn’t I"" Alund answered with a big smile. "If you trust me, why wouldn’t I trust you"
As the man walked away in disbelief to get his new tractor, Alund gave him his personal cell-phone number and told him to call if there were any problems or if he ever "just needed a hand with something."

That’s the way Alund does business.
"Everything we do, it’s all based on trust"People look at me like I’m a crack," Alund said. "Ninety-percent of the population wants to do the right thing"You’ll find one or two people who aren’t good, but overall, people are good."
Alund said that many of the old clichés such as "What comes around goes around" and "You reap what you sow" still hold a lot of truth.
"What is the downside of being nice"" Alund asked. "The idea behind this is"old-fashioned business, old-fashioned service, with old-fashioned values."

"Open when they need us"

His brand new store at 2337 Western Ave. is a dealership for Husqvarna, Stihl, Purina feeds, and Kioti Tractor and it has a full line repair shop to service all makes and models of equipment. The store also provides maintenance services such as tune-ups and chain-sharpening.
Alund’s first "customer" was a man who knocked on the door before the store was even open while he was stocking the shelves. The man ran out of chainsaw bar oil and needed some to finish a job. Alund gave the man some oil without charging him and sent him on his way.
When people come in with broken equipment, Alund said, he offers them a "loaner" to get their jobs done.
"If you’re trusting me with your equipment, then why wouldn’t I trust you with mine"" he asked. "I have their equipment right here in my store."

The big thing, Alund said, is that the store is open seven days a week and offers pickup and delivery of equipment or parts.
"What’s the point of being around if you’re closed on the weekends and the evenings" That’s when people are doing work and that’s when they need us," Alund said. "We service a lot of farmers, rural homeowners, and seniors. That’s why we work seven days a week. We’re not in a rush."

His over-4,000-square-foot warehouse in Guilderland is Alund’s first expansion store from his much larger Schaghticoke store. However, both stores have the same look and feel with a wide-open showroom and knotty-pine paneling on the walls and ceiling.

The walls are decked with power equipment such as chainsaws, weed trimmers, and blowers, and the show floor has tractors, lawnmowers, and trailers parked in neat rows. Various types of grains and feeds line tables in front of big bay windows facing Western Aveune.

"Work and effort"

Alund started his business a mere 18 months ago — and he’s growing fast, too. He said he is planning a third store in the Clifton Park and Saratoga area. He started with himself and two other employees and now has 20 people working for him.

One of the reasons Alund built his first expansion store in this area was because of the high volume of equipment and products he shipped to the Hilltowns last year, he said.
"I love this area," Alund said. "The town and the zoning and planning boards couldn’t have been more helpful. They told me everything I needed to know. Don Cropsey came down here and he was great; he was a big help in making this happen."

Donald Cropsey is Guilderland’s chief building inspector and zoning administrator.

The reason Alund got into the business, he said is because he loves equipment and what it represents.
"I’ve always owned equipment and loved it," he told The Enterprise. "I always saw equipment as representing work and effort"I respect that."
Alund said business is great; he restocks his Guilderland store daily. "I couldn’t believe" all of the young 19- and 20-year-old men that come to get equipment for their businesses, he said.
"These kids are awesome. I absolutely think the world of them"I would be proud if they were my children," said Alund. "They have smiles this big," he said, holding out his hands with his arms outstretched, "and they just love what they’re doing."

In conclusion, Alund said his business model is simple: He doesn’t have one.

His bottom line has nothing to do with dollars and cents, Alund said; he’s more interested in informing people with information that makes sense.
"People certainly seem happy. We aren’t here to sell anything, We are here to assist them. Read about it. Be informed. Take your time and then get what you need," Alund said. "We don’t do mission statements or any of that crap; the proof is in the pudding."