By MOLLIE BROWN / Business Columnist

When Dale and Kay Milstead opened KMD Sales 13 years ago, they used a personal experience to name their trailer sales business.

“It’s a funny story,” Dale said. “When we married, Kay had something put in my ring, but it came out wrong. It made her mad, so we turned it into a good thing.”

“Actually one of Dale’s friends said it stands for Kay My Darling,” Kay added.

KMD Sales is located at 7910 U.S. 31, across from Bird Ace Hardware. In addition to trailers, they sell livestock feed, horse healthcare products, handmade Amish tack, ropes, grass seed and plants. “Horses, chickens, cows, dogs, parakeets, rabbits — if it’s an animal we have something to feed it,” Dale said.

They don’t operate as a pet store, but they help find homes for pets. Last year they sold 75 parakeets for a customer. A community board is used to post pets, livestock and items for sell.

Dale is amazed at the number of ropers in our area. “People who team rope or calf rope at rodeos from Florida to Mississippi stop in to buy our ropes. I didn’t know Calera had so many. Dr. Rhonda Ellison and her husband Kenny are national top ropers in their class.”

The store also sells old wagon wheels and newly built Amish wagon wheels. Dale said customers use them to make tables and chandeliers. When there’s room in the store, Kay sells antiques.

“At one time I had booths in antique shops, but now I just put them in our store,” Kay said. “It’s really unique the way things are arranged here and we add a little something every year. This year it’s concrete garden art. Our business has succeeded because of friends like Kari Lolley, Gary Champion and Buddy Fenley, who passed away this year.”

When they’re not busy they include some fun. “When time allows we’re bad to sit around and play guitar. You never know who will drop in,” Dale said. “Mark True, who wrote for Don Williams and Crystal Gayle, the bass player for the Oak Ridge Boys, and many others from bands across the southeast have played here.”

The Milsteads invite you to drop in. Like their Facebook page or contact them at 668-3022.

 

Molly Brown is a business columnist for the Shelby County Reporter. She can be reached at dmjhb1@bellsouth.net.