Family-Owned, Always
No outside investors. No private equity. The same family that opened the first store in Mattoon still runs the company — and still makes decisions for the long term, not the next quarter.
Family-Owned Since 1960
America's Farm and Home Store — now delivering pet medication to your door.
For over 60 years, Rural King has served rural families across America — selling feed, farm supplies, tools, and everything in between. In 2026, we partnered with PetMeds to bring licensed pet and livestock medication directly to rural households — no trip to town required.
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Year Founded
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Store Locations
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States Served
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States Licensed
Started in a single store in Mattoon, Illinois. Still family-owned today.
160+ locations · 6,000+ employees
Signature Interactive
Sixty Years, Six Moments
Click any year to explore what happened — from a single store in Mattoon, Illinois to a 50-state pet pharmacy serving rural America.
1960
A single store in Mattoon, Illinois
Rural King opens its first location in Mattoon, Illinois — one store, one promise: give farm families the products, tools, and supplies they need at prices that respect a hard day's work. It's a family-owned business from day one.
Six decades later, that same family still runs the company.
1
Store at founding
Mattoon, IL
Original location
1975
Regional expansion across the Midwest
Through the 1970s, Rural King grows outward across the Midwest — new stores opening across Illinois, Indiana, and surrounding states. The signature free popcorn and free coffee tradition begins in this era, and becomes a Rural King staple.
By the end of the decade, the store count hits double digits.
10+
Store locations
Free
Popcorn & coffee tradition
1995
Multi-state footprint across rural America
Rural King crosses the 100-store mark, expanding into a dozen-plus states. Each new location is placed in a rural county where a farm-and-home store is a genuine community asset — often the largest retail employer in the area.
The company stays family-owned and refuses to compromise on price or service.
100+
Store locations
12+
States served
2010
150 stores. Six thousand employees. Still family-owned.
By 2010, Rural King operates 150+ locations across 17 states with 6,000+ employees — but the founding family still owns and runs the business. Same values. Same free popcorn. Same commitment to rural America.
National scale. Family-owned soul.
150+
Stores by 2010
6,000+
Employees
2024
A partnership with PetMeds begins
Rural King begins exploring a partnership with PetMeds — the largest licensed pet pharmacy in the United States — to bring prescription pet medications to rural families who live hours from the nearest vet.
The thesis is simple: Rural King already has the customer relationship and the rural logistics. PetMeds has the pharmacy infrastructure and the digital platform. Together, they can serve rural pet parents where no one else can.
PetMeds
Licensed since 1996
2.3M+
Pet parents served
2026
Rural King Pet Pharmacy goes live
Rural King Pet Pharmacy launches — a fully licensed 50-state pet pharmacy powered by PetMeds. Prescription medications, flea & tick, heartworm prevention, food, supplements, and livestock health products — all delivered to your door from our own licensed pharmacy.
No more 40-minute drives. No more missed doses. No more waiting on the vet to call the pharmacy back. Just the medication your animals need, on your schedule.
50
States licensed
15%
AutoShip savings
What We Stand For
Three Promises. Sixty Years.
The same values that built Rural King in 1960 still drive everything we do — including the pet pharmacy.
Rural Roots, Rural Commitment
Every Rural King location sits in a rural county, often as the largest retail employer in the area. We don't just serve rural America — we live there. Same for the pharmacy program.
Fair Prices, No Games
Everyday low prices. Free popcorn and coffee in every store since the 1970s. Free shipping over $49 on the pharmacy site. No fine print, no hidden fees, no loyalty games.
The Partnership
Powered by PetMeds
Rural King Pet Pharmacy runs on the PetMeds platform — one of the largest licensed pet pharmacies in the United States, serving pet parents since 1996. Every order is fulfilled by their pharmacy, verified by their licensed PharmDs, and shipped through their systems.
We provide the rural reach, the trust, and the customer relationships. PetMeds provides the pharmacy infrastructure, compliance, and digital platform. Together, we serve rural pet parents that no one else is reaching.
1996
PetMeds licensed & operating
2.3M+
Pet parents served by PetMeds
HIPAA + PCI DSS
Fully certified compliance
Every Rx verified
By licensed PharmDs before shipping
🌾 Want to talk to a real person?
Our team answers every call, seven days a week. Whether you have a question about the partnership, the pharmacy, or your pet's medication — we're here. No phone tree, no bots.
1-800-738-6337 · Mon–Sun · 8am–11pm ETSixty Years Later, Still Showing Up
Rural King has served rural families through every kind of year — good ones, hard ones, and every one in between. Now we're showing up for your animals too. Free shipping over $49. 30-day returns.