WATSEKA — Big R Stores announced July 17 that it is changing its name to Stock+Field.
The farm, home and outdoor products retailer — which has 25 stores across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan, including in the East Central Illinois communities of Gibson City, Watseka, Danville and Tilton — has operated under the Big R Stores name since 1964, when Bill and Pat Crabtree opened the first store in Watseka. The offices and warehouses for Big R remain in Watseka.
A full transition from the Big R brand to Stock+Field is expected to be completed later this summer. New logos, signage and marketing communications will be rolled out soon, a news release said.
The new name allows the company to send a “clear message about their offerings and commitment to providing every rural lifestyle enthusiast with a one-stop destination to gather all of the mission-critical products they need to pursue their work and hobbies,” the release said.
“This is an exciting time for our employees, vendors and customers. It is a milestone for the company as we continue to grow,” said Matt Whebbe, chairman and chief executive officer of Stock+Field. “This new brand reintroduces us to the communities we’ve served for decades. At the same time, it aids our expansion into new markets, where we intend to continue building new community partnerships while offering quality products at competitive prices.”