Family effort serves town in many ways

By MINDY POEHL | Central Texas Edition

Randall Jacobs, left, and his father, Bobby, own a feed store, beauty shop, tire shop and cafe in Coolidge. Randall said of his father, “I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.” Photo by Mindy Poehl

Oct. 20, 2005 - Keeping it in the family is what the Jacob's do. The Jacobs family filled a void in the small town of Coolidge, located in Limestone County, when they tore down an old building and rebuilt their own store, which contains a feed store, cafe, beauty shop and tire company.

The building that houses Double "J" Feed, Tin Roof Cafe and Kountry Kuts, as well as the tire shop, is probably the most bustling place in town. In a town of farmers and ranchers, the feed store is heavily utilized. Tin Roof Cafe, which many people dine in around four times a week, is the only cafe in town. And even the elderly gather in the feed store around 3 p.m. to play their daily game of dominoes.

"Twelve years ago the feed store in town closed," said Randall Jacobs, co-owner of Double "J" Feed. "I knew we needed a feed store, so I decided to give it a go."

Pat Jacobs (left) and Annette Davis, mother and daughter, stay busy at Double “J” Feed. Annette runs the store, while Pat is retired, yet still spends much of her time with her family at the store. Photo by Mindy Poehl

Jacobs' feed store started out of an old gin, from the early1900's, across the highway from the new store.

"We thought we could make something of it," said Pat Jacobs, Randall's mother. "My husband and Randall had cattle, so we knew what we needed to sell. We also had customer requests from the surrounding farmers."

Several years ago, Bobby Jacobs, father of the Jacobs clan and Mayor of Coolidge, purchased a two-story building across from the original feed store. Bobby sold the building to his sons, Randall and Reagan, and the old building, which was once home to a hotel, then a hospital and then a church furniture manufacturing plant, was torn down. The new building, which houses all four businesses, has been open for two years.

Tin Roof Cafe is run by Debbie Nash, Randall's sister. Kountry Kuts is run by Gina Davis, Randall's niece. And, Double "J" Feed is run by Randall's sister, Annette Davis. Randall and Reagan, who also contribute to running the feed store, also hold regular jobs.

Randall works with Alltel phone company and is known as "the backbone to the whole operation." Randall owns 120 acres outside of Coolidge, where he buys and sells Limousin cattle and is a member of the school board.

Double "J" Feed's main carrier is Pilgrim's Pride Feed and Sabine Valley, both out of Greenville. 

"I use Sabine Valley because it's a co-op owned by farmers and ranchers," explained Randall. "They give back to the farmers and ranchers."

After "literally starting out with nothing," as Pat Jacobs said, the Jacobs family has provided for themselves as well as convenienced the town of Coolidge.