The western front

WEST ODESSA Lily Esparza said she was impressed with the variety at Papo's Western Store & Feed.

"They have everything in one place," the Odessa resident said.

 "Everything" includes men's and women's western wear like boots, jeans and belts, along with home decorations like western candlesticks. That's all on top of the animal feed ranging from bales of alfalfa hay to dog food.

"It's big," she said of the West Odessa store that opened July 21. "They have a wide selection of different things. It's a nice store."

Santos Quintela, known as "Papo" to his grandchildren, started the store. His daughter, store manager Irma Arroyo, said he's always wanted to open a feed store. But research revealed it would take more than that.

"The feed doesn't really make a lot of profit," she said. "So we have to have a little bit of everything to make up for that."

So the store now carries more profitable items like saddles and pocketknives.

"A lot of people don't know what we have in here," Arroyo said. "A lot of women come in and say, ‘I didn't know you had home décor and western clothes.' "

The store was assisted by the University of Texas of the Permian Basin's Small Business Development Center. Beatrix Merino, a counselor at SBDC, said she presented the new business owners with options that could help make Papo's successful.

"I really just gave them ideas as to how to start a business and looking for financial aid," Merino said.

Arroyo said Merino also helped her with the recent state sales tax holiday, giving her information on what is and isn't exempt.

"Anytime I have any question, I call her," Arroyo said.

But she also relies on her family. Her husband built the building Papo's is located in on her father's property. Arroyo's brother works with feed and making ornamental ironwork, and her niece handles inventory.

Katrina Renteria also came up with Papo's slogan, "Feed your western needs!" which is now visible on a billboard on Interstate 20.

"I just kind of came up with it," Renteria said, "kind of just joking around."

And while the fledgling business has a ways to go, Arroyo can already see Papo's simple red logo popping up in franchised locations.

"When my brother saw the logo he said, ‘I can picture this all over the world,' " she said.

Papo's Western Store & Feed

>> Location: 1013 South Moss Ave., West Odessa.

>> Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday.

>> Call: 381-3337.