Shipton's Big R
Shipton's Big R is a privately held, regional farm and ranch retail chain founded in 1949, operating six stores plus a service center across Montana and Wyoming, serving rural consumers with farm, ranch, home, pet, automotive, and outdoor product assortments and in-store services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1949
- HeadquartersBillings, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Shipton's Big R does
Shipton's Big R is a privately held, regional farm and ranch retail chain founded in 1949 and headquartered in Billings, Montana. The company operates six physical store locations across Montana (Billings East, Billings West, Billings Heights, Lewistown, Hardin) and Wyoming (Sheridan), plus a dedicated Power Equipment & Service Center. It sells merchandise across eight departments — Apparel & Footwear, Automotive & Hardware, Farm & Ranch, Home Goods, Home Improvement, Lawn & Garden, Pet & Animal, and Sporting Goods — alongside a portfolio of in-store services including key cutting, mower blade sharpening, custom pet tag engraving, propane refills, small engine repair, and a private-label "Shipton's Big R Brand" line.
The company serves primarily rural and small-town consumers in the Mountain West, with principal customer segments being farm and ranch owners, pet owners, rural homeowners/lifestyle customers, and outdoor recreationists. Assortment is anchored by national brand partnerships (Husqvarna, Levi's, Hill's Science Diet, Harvest King, Carhartt, Wrangler, Milwaukee, DeWalt, YETI, STIHL) layered over the proprietary private-label offering. The business has no disclosed software platform, API, or proprietary technology; its core technology surface is a standard e-commerce website supporting in-store pickup, UPS shipping, and 1-day delivery alongside the brick-and-mortar retail footprint.
Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time retail merchandise sales (unit-priced SKUs ranging from sub-$10 consumables to over $5,000 equipment such as zero-turn mowers) plus a smaller professional-services stream from the service center and ancillary offerings. The company does not disclose revenue, has no observed subscription or recurring revenue model, and reports 51–100 employees. Marketing is conducted through email, social channels (Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram), blog content, printed flyers, and community events such as "Homesteader Days."
Shipton's Big R firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shipton's Big R
- Legal name
- Shipton's Big R
- Website
- https://shiptonsbigr.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1949
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Shipton's Big R is a privately held, regional farm and ranch retail chain founded in 1949, operating six stores plus a service center across Montana and Wyoming, serving rural consumers with farm, ranch, home, pet, automotive, and outdoor product assortments and in-store services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shipton's Big R industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Farm and Ranch Retail
- NAICS
- Outdoor Power Equipment Retailers (444230), Outdoor Power Equipment Retailers (44423), Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (42382), Home Centers (444110), Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers (444)
- SIC
- Lawn & Garden Tractors & Home Lawn & Gardens Equip (3524), Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Livestock Contract Growing & Farm Labor Services (AFAEALAE)
Keywords
Where Shipton's Big R is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Billings
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Shipton's Big R business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail merchandise sales: Traditional retail revenue from selling physical products across multiple departments including apparel, farm & ranch supplies, automotive, home goods, lawn & garden, sporting goods, and pet supplies. Products are sold as one-time purchases with no recurring revenue component.
- Services revenue: Additional revenue from in-store services including custom pet tag engraving, key cutting, mower blade sharpening, power equipment service center, propane service, and small engine repair.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing with per-unit costs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Shipton's Big R product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shipton's Big R is a regional farm and ranch retail chain operating six physical stores plus a dedicated Power Equipment Service Center across Montana and Wyoming. It sells a broad assortment of merchandise across eight departments (Apparel & Footwear, Automotive & Hardware, Farm & Ranch, Home Goods, Home Improvement, Lawn & Garden, Pet & Animal, and Sporting Goods) and offers in-store services including custom pet tag engraving, key cutting, mower blade sharpening, propane refilling, and small engine repair. The offering is supported by an e-commerce site that enables shipping, 1-day delivery, and in-store pickup.
Product overview
Shipton's Big R is a regional Farm & Ranch retail chain operating 7 store locations across Montana and Wyoming (East, West, Heights, Lewistown, Hardin, Sheridan, and Power Equipment & Service Center). The company operates a unified retail platform combining physical stores with e-commerce capabilities, offering products across 8 major departments: Apparel & Footwear, Automotive & Hardware, Farm & Ranch, Home Goods, Home Improvement, Lawn & Garden, Pet & Animal, and Sporting Goods. The product portfolio includes proprietary services (Custom Pet Tag Engraving, Key Cutting, Mower Blade Sharpening, Power Equipment Service Center, Propane Service, Small Engine Repair) alongside 500+ branded partner products from vendors including Levi's, Carhartt, Wrangler, Husqvarna, Milwaukee, DeWalt, Hill's Science Diet, Harvest King, YETI, and STIHL. The e-commerce platform supports in-store pickup, UPS shipping, and 1-Day Delivery, with no API or developer integrations documented.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Shipton's Big R Brand: Company's own private label brand for various farm and ranch supplies.
Products and services
- Apparel & Footwear
Companies that use Shipton's Big R
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Shipton's Big R technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Shipton's Big R partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Shipton's Big R competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tractor Supply Company: National farm and ranch retail chain serving rural customers across all 50 states with farm supplies, livestock, pet, hardware, and outdoor products. Directly comparable in product mix, customer base, and one-stop-shop model, though operating at vastly greater scale (~2,300 stores).
- Orscheln Farm and Home: Midwest-based farm and home retailer (now part of Tractor Supply) operating multi-department stores across multiple states. Comparable format, product mix, and rural customer base; relevant for category benchmarking.
- Runnings: Regional farm, ranch, and home retail chain with stores across the upper Midwest and Mountain West. Closest direct competitor in scale, geography, and assortment — both operate multi-department stores serving rural customers with farm/ranch, pet, sporting goods, and outdoor power equipment.
- Bomgaars: Midwest and Mountain West farm and ranch supply chain with 75+ stores across several states. Directly comparable regional farm/ranch retailer serving rural customers with farm supplies, hardware, automotive, pet, and outdoor categories.
- Atwoods Ranch & Home: Regional farm, ranch, and home retailer with stores across the southern and central US. Comparable multi-department format and rural customer base, though operating in different geography.
- Blain's Farm & Fleet: Family-owned regional farm and fleet retailer with stores across the upper Midwest. Highly comparable multi-department model including farm supplies, automotive, pet, sporting goods, and outdoor power equipment with strong brand partnerships.
- Murdoch's Ranch & Home Supply: Regional farm and ranch retailer with ~35 stores across the Mountain West including Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, and surrounding states. Directly overlapping service area, customer base, and product departments — a true direct competitor for Shipton's Big R customers.
Broad incumbents
- Ace Hardware: National hardware cooperative with extensive rural and small-town presence. Overlaps with Shipton's on hardware, automotive, lawn & garden, and home improvement categories, though not a farm/ranch specialist.
- Walmart: Mass merchandiser with significant rural market presence and broad farm/ranch, pet, automotive, and home goods assortments. Overlaps on commodity categories and increasingly on e-commerce — relevant competitive and pricing reference point.
Regional players
- Coastal Farm & Ranch: Pacific Northwest farm and ranch retailer with stores in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Directly comparable product mix and customer base but does not currently operate in Montana/Wyoming — relevant regional comp for assortment and pricing benchmarks.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Customer concentration
Shipton's Big R social profiles
Digital presenceShipton's Big R financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shipton's Big R leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Shipton's Big R funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shipton's Big R M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shipton's Big R
What does Shipton's Big R do?
Shipton's Big R is a regional farm and ranch retail chain operating six physical stores plus a dedicated Power Equipment Service Center across Montana and Wyoming. It sells a broad assortment of merchandise across eight departments (Apparel & Footwear, Automotive & Hardware, Farm & Ranch, Home Goods, Home Improvement, Lawn & Garden, Pet & Animal, and Sporting Goods) and offers in-store services including custom pet tag engraving, key cutting, mower blade sharpening, propane refilling, and small engine repair. The offering is supported by an e-commerce site that enables shipping, 1-day delivery, and in-store pickup.
Is Shipton's Big R a public or private company?
Shipton's Big R is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Shipton's Big R founded?
Shipton's Big R was founded in 1949. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Shipton's Big R based?
Shipton's Big R is headquartered in Billings, United States, in the North America region.
How does Shipton's Big R make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Retail merchandise sales are the primary driver. The others are services revenue.
Who are Shipton's Big R's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tractor Supply Company, Orscheln Farm and Home, Runnings, Bomgaars, Atwoods Ranch & Home, Blain's Farm & Fleet and Murdoch's Ranch & Home Supply. Broad incumbents are Ace Hardware and Walmart. Coastal Farm & Ranch is listed as a regional player.
Does Shipton's Big R have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shipton's Big R.
What industry is Shipton's Big R in?
Shipton's Big R's product category is Farm and Ranch Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEALAE, Livestock Contract Growing & Farm Labor Services. Its NAICS code is 444230 and its SIC code is 3524.