Nov-Dec Good Reads

• Loved the Big Survey! It’s always interesting to see what my colleagues are doing and to learn from them. — Shane Somerville, Paddywack, Mill Creek, WA
• I really enjoyed “Taking Control,” by Teresa Miller. Her insights are timely, as we face a constant struggle to keep our products competitive. It is extremely difficult to compete with the pricing and scale of the big-box competitors in our market. — Anapatricia
  Garcia, Dog Lovers of Tarpon, Tarpon Springs, FL
• Entertaining our pets has become a priority, and long-lasting chews are selling rather well. Loved the article, “Boost Repeat Sales With a Body Parts Department.” — Jusak Yang Bernhard, Wag Heaven Pet Supplies and Self-Serve Dog Wash, Georgetown, TX

Industry Thoughts

• Holiday-specific treats need to have at least a two-year best-buy date. It’s really annoying to order stuff, and if it doesn’t sell out, have it have a July best-buy date. So, we buy very minimal short expiry-date holiday items. — Adina Silberstein, Queenie’s Pets, Philadelphia, PA
• I would like to know how other stores handle things like out-of-stock items for months and months on end. Sometimes up to six months or more. Do you leave a space for it or fill in with something else? We have recently experienced that with two big brands. One of them has about 12 feet of an aisle in our store! — Morgan Monty, The Cheshire Horse, Swanzey, NH
• The last few months, we have seen a big uptick in credit card purchases … significantly less cash. I have kept a watchful eye to make sure no internal shenanigans were going on. Is this happening everywhere? — Rebeca Santos, Pets Love and Happiness, Huntsville, AL
• Company support is high on my list of why I do business with a company. If they do away with outside sales reps, it’s not the same. I depend on samples, promos, etc. Those seem to go when reps go, and that impacts educational opportunities and sales. — Shari Wilkins, Lake Dog and Their People, Eufaula, OK
• As a lifelong pet owner and someone who watches industry trends closely, I’m alarmed by the growing sweep of private-equity into pet care and pet food. What were once independent trust-based brands are increasingly being consolidated under investment firms that prioritize top-line growth over pet welfare and community trust. I fear we’re seeing fewer genuinely independent providers, and more ‘business-first’ operations. What does this mean for pets, pet owners, and our industry’s future? — Robert L. Critselous, Drooly’s Dog Bakery, Bentonville, AR

You’re Very Welcome

• Thank you for all you do for independent pet retailers. I appreciate the industry knowledge I gain from your articles and from the Facebook group. It helped us decide on a new POS system and keeps me on top of trends in the pet retail sphere. — Laura Burton, Lollypop Farm, Fairport, NY
• Just a big thank you for all the information you provide. You make a ton of difference in how we look at our business and the industry as a whole. — Keith Henline, Asheville Pet Supply, Asheville, NC
• Always love reading your magazine each month! It’s our go-to for all that’s happening in the pet industry. And we keep them for a year or two as reference when we need to look up something written about previously. — Sherry Cassin, Meow Mini Mart, Jersey City, NJ

ONLINE EXTRAS

• We’re celebrating the store’s 20th anniversary this month during the first week and have been blown away with the support from both our vendors and our customers. It was a sweet reminder that we DO make a difference! — Diana Farrar, Fifi & Fidos Pet Boutique, San Antonio, TX
• Thank you for everything you do! I enjoy being a part of this group. — Stephanie Rossino, Giggybites Bakery & Marketplace, Chadds Ford, PA
• Love the magazine. — Keith Zeiler, Paws on Chicon, Austin, TX
• Love PETS+, a great resource for me! — Tamie Waugh, Cobber’s Pet Pantry, Enumclaw, WA
• While we had a great Thanksgiving. Usually the month of December is much busier, and we are seeing the economy start to hit hard this month. — Jessica Cooke, Yuppy Puppy Pet Spa, O’Fallon, MO
• Legend Acres founder named Arizona Vetrepreneur of the Year 2025 and Better Business Bureau finalist Torch Award of Ethics for the Pacific Southwest. — Kristi May, Legend Acres, Surprise, AZ
• Love it all!! Your magazine is a wealth of information and is beautiful to boot! — Janet Cesarini, Pupology, Georgetown, TX
• Always fun, always interesting and very informative. Keep up the great work! — Kimberly Gatto, The Wagging Tail Pet Grocery & Supply, Las Vegas, NV
• Would love to see how others are increasing foot traffic. Also, if there is some way to share sales info without revealing too much … For example, I would love to see an idea of how much square footage people have total, devoted to food, cat, dog, treat, etc. and average revenue for each. — Gina Devaney, The Pet Store, Auburn, GA
• I see too few stores bothering to trademark their store names to protect them. Most people think they need attorneys or that it is extremely difficult or expensive. It is none of those. — Gary Hughes, Gangsta Dog, Norfolk, VA
• Thank you, Pamela and team, for such a great magazine! — Cynthia McKinney, Loyl’s Natural Pet Grocery & Groomery, Houston, TX
• Minor rant: It drives me crazy when sales reps don’t listen or ask questions! Rather, some just start lecturing on how to do business from their perspective and low-key gaslighting you. Makes me want to break something. — Cassie Holloway, The Mill Stores, Pylesville, MD
• Thank you for always providing great information. — Keela Huotari, Yellowstone Kennels, Sidney, MT
• I’m very interested in the proposed Massachusetts. law regarding dogs with bite history not going to trainers that use aversive techniques. — Lisa Kirschner, Sit, Stay, ‘N Play, Inc., Stroudsburg, PA
• Thank youuuuu for all that you do! — Lori Colburn, Nature’s Pet Market Orenco, Hillsboro, OR