It’s official: McCall OKs new farm supply retailer in space formerly occupied by Rite Aid

It’s official: McCall OKs new farm supply retailer in space formerly occupied by Rite Aid

A Caldwell-based farm supply store is officially approved to open its first location in McCall.

On Thursday night, the McCall City Council unanimously voted to approve D&B Supply’s plans to open a store at 411 E. Deinhard Lane in a space formerly occupied by Rite Aid.

“It’s just good to finally see something trying to come in there,” Council Member Julie Thrower said. “It’s nice to not have a vacant building.”

The business will become the newest tenant in the Marketplace at McCall shopping center, which also includes Ridley’s Family Markets, a liquor store, a post office, and Idaho First Bank.

D&B was established in 1959 and has 15 locations throughout southwest Idaho and eastern Oregon. The stores carry a lineup of goods that varies by location, but typically includes pet supplies and food, outdoor equipment, power tools, clothing, and hardware. Floorplans indicate the McCall store would also sell guns and ammunition.

D&B officials expect a remodel of the 20,000-square-foot commercial space to be complete early next year, with a grand opening expected early next spring.

The remodel will include an interior refresh, refinishing the exterior of the building, and installing a new roof and HVAC system.

A new 1,800-square-foot open-face outdoor shed would be added on the east side of the building to anchor a year-round outdoor sales area stocked with products like hay, bagged mulch, lawn mowers, and grills.

The parking lot will include outdoor space for merchandise, as well as parking for utility trailers available for purchase. The outdoor retail space will be enclosed with wrought iron fencing and will remain open year-round, according to company representatives.

The remodel will also include landscaping and lighting improvements in the parking lot, which is owned by the J.R. Simplot Company, a Boise business leasing the commercial building to D&B.

Permitting background

The McCall Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended D&B’s application for approval in June.

The company was already allowed to operate in the former Rite Aid building under existing commercial permitting, but needed approval on plans for the outdoor merchandise areas and exterior remodel.

One of the main hurdles for D&B to obtain the permitting was meeting a city code that limits the number of chain companies that can operate in McCall.

The code allows a maximum of 10% of formula businesses in the same category — farm supply and outdoor retail, in this case — to operate in the city at one time.

An analysis completed by the company lists 14 existing businesses in the city that sell some merchandise similar to what D&B would offer, including Wild Onion, Razzle Dazzle, May Hardware, and McCall Pet Outfitters & Supply.

None of the businesses included in the analysis qualify as formula businesses, which means D&B would become the first. It would represent about 6.7% of the market, according to the analysis.

The city’s limitation on formula businesses excludes gas stations and grocery stores.