The local pet store that I do all my fish and supply purchasing had banners up recently that they were going out of business. I was so bummed because, while it's a small place that is a bit more expensive at times than the new local PetSmart, their people knew what they were talking about and their fish were healthy. I went by to stock up on some things but figured that eventually I was going to be forced to use PetSmart (the only other pet store in town).
I was really suprised that the little store was going out of business because they had been around forever and I figured that they would have a local loyal customer base...guess they thought that too.
So regrettably, the other day, when I had to get some aquarium salt (the small store was out) I went to PetSmart to get it. I decided to peruse the fish aisle to see what fish options they had for future purchases. I was saddened because not only did they only have two teenage workers who seemed to know nothing about fish working in the department, each tank had 3-5 dead fish sitting on the bottom. In one case, a fish wasn't dead yet, just sitting upside down struggling to breath. It was so sad.
I was determined to never buy fish from them, I would drive to a neighboring city if I had to. Fortunately the other day on the way to the gym, we saw new banners at the little local store...they are staying....new ownership takes over next week!! I am so excited and can't wait to see what fish they get in when their supplies get back up.
5 comments:
Maybe you should let Pet Smart know
what you have done.
I used to try to support the little guys in my neighborhood. But they all got so rock & twiggy I couldn't bear to go in there anymore. Vegetarian dog food? Uh no. Then one became a store that catered to only dogs & cats (even though the same store is like 10 blocks away max) I was done. Oh and the lesbian at the other one stopped carrying ferret stuff so now it is off to pets mart once a month to get what I need.
I always try to buy from the little guy because the big guy probably ate two or three to get where they are today. Petsmart has great dog toys and if I want to mortgage my home, I could stock up.
I like the little independent shop down the street even though it's cramped and there's not much selection and it's a little more expensive... but I have to be honest and say that I prefer the PetSmart.
I volunteered in the adoption centre of one store for 3 years so I got to know a lot about the store, the staff, the training, and the pets. It was a great experience and I learned a lot. I like that they're large, bright stores with good pricing and good selection... but knowledgeable staff is a rare things because, as you pointed out, they're mostly teenagers nowadays. The staff I knew were well versed in all their specific areas of pet care and they were all really helpful.
Unfortunately, they closed that store and now I don't have one near me.
Yeah, I like the size and selection of PetSmart too and I do shop there for the cat, as the little pet store is mostly fish and dogs, but I was just glad to see that the little guy wasn't going out of business as well, and I would still be able to get helpful advice and healthy fish without having to drive to another county.
I wish big stores and little stores could coexist better.
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