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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Blain’s Farm & Fleet goes green with the opening of the new store in Verona, WI

Janesville, WI – August 1, 2008 – Blain’s Farm & Fleet is getting ready to open the doors to their new green store located at 600 Hometown Circle in Verona, WI. The 114,500 square foot store, designed to be environmentally friendly, will officially open to the public on August 14th with a grand opening celebration to be scheduled later in the fall.

The new concept store focuses on offering customers high-quality products, competitive prices and reliable service while reducing the store’s carbon footprint on the environment.

• A significant amount of the existing nursing home that was demolished and crushed was used for backfill material instead of sending it to a landfill. In all, over 300 truckloads of material were saved from ending up in a landfill.
• Over 120 trees that were on site prior to building were transplanted instead of destroyed. A majority of the trees were transplanted onto the existing site, but approximately 35 trees were used to create a natural fence between Badger Prairie Park and Blain’s Farm & Fleet.
• Clerestory windows are reducing the need for artificial lighting.
• Any oil generated from oil changes will be turned into an alternative fuel source via clean burn waste that will heat the service center.
• Over 160 skylights will be used to harvest daylight that will provide approximately 30% energy savings.
• Waterless urinals will be used in the restrooms saving up to 40,000 gallons of water per fixture per year.
• Instant water heaters will be used in the building eliminating stand-by heat associated with conventional tank type water heaters.
• An energy management system will be used in the building to control lighting and HVAC equipment.
• The steel used in the building was purchased from Butler Manufacturing Company of Kansas City, MO. Steel from Butler Manufacturing Company is 65% recycled material.
• The building is a super insulated building with 50% more wall and roof insulation than the minimum code requirements.
• Throughout the building, light fixtures that are 20% more energy efficient than previous buildings are being utilized.
• In order to reduce overall electrical usage, occupancy light sensors are being used in all office areas and restrooms. Additionally, photo control will be used for the retail sales floor, automatically turning off lights when there is enough natural light and automatically turning on lights when it becomes too dark.
• All outdoor signage will be LED instead of neon which will provide at least 70% energy savings.
• A cardboard compactor has been installed to keep all cardboard from the landfill stream.
• Three 16-foot ceiling fans in the retail area will be used to circulate air allowing thermostat settings to be raised in the summer and lowered in the winter while maintaining a comfortable shopping environment for the customers.

Even the general contractor, Design Structures, LLC, based in Middleton, WI, took steps to reinforce the green effort during the construction process.

• Recycle items were separated into their own dumpsters keeping 20% of the typical construction waste stream out of landfills.
• Local subcontractors and local materials were used whenever possible to save on fuel and travel as well as to promote the local economy.
• Maximized electronic distribution of project documents and information in order to reduce paper consumption and fuel costs related to travel.
• Reduction of wood studs and drywall scraps by use of pre-planning at the material ordering stage.

About Blain’s Farm & Fleet

Founded in 1955, Blain’s Farm & Fleet stores are specialty discount retailers with 34 locations throughout Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. The company remains steadfast in its commitment to offering customers high quality products, competitive prices and reliable service.

The retail stores described in this press release are owned by individual corporations listed. They are not owned by or a subsidiary of Blain Supply, Inc.

About Design Structures, LLC

Design Structures, LLC has provided commercial and industrial design-build construction services to their clients since 1987. With office locations in both Wisconsin and Oregon, Design Structures prides themselves on helping their clients with their design and construction management needs in each local market, as well as nationwide.

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