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Letters From Our Readers for July

Published

5 years ago

September 19, 2019

PETS+ Staff PETS+ October 2019 Issue

More Than Sales

As a veteran of indie pet retail, I am ecstatic over the number of pet parents advocating for their pets by reading, discussing and seeking out alternative remedies, raw food, herbs, etc. Our sales of raw and freeze-dried foods, supplements, CBD and herbs continue to climb. It’s not just the sales we love; it’s the feedback we are getting on the improved health and wellness of the pets. It doesn’t get much better! — Karen Conell, The Bark Market, Delavan, WI

A Fun Day

We have managed to put our daughter in daycare, previously a cost our budget couldn’t handle. By utilizing ideas from this magazine and its featured stores, and a business mentoring program for pet business owners, I can happily pay that $600-plus a month for my daughter to go make friends and have a fun day! — Sarah Cordes, Knotty Dog, Chelsea, AL

Great Relationships

We love the great relationships our staff members build with our customers. They support us on social media with congratulatory posts anytime our staff are promoted. It is very refreshing to see that! — Charlsye Lewis, Metro Animals, Fort Worth, TX

Grooming: Check!

I’m adding grooming! It’s going to change my store, and it’s exciting and scary at the same time! — Anna Woodcock, Brown Dog Barkery, Ankeny, IA

Life on the Ranch

We are so busy! My family and I are moving from a suburban townhome to a 2.5-acre ranch in the country, complete with a corral, chicken coop and a 96,000-gallon pond with plenty of wildlife. We’ll Instagram our homestead life adventures soon! — Leel Michelle, Bow Wow Beauty Shoppe, San Diego, CA

The Next Level

I will be launching my e-commerce shopping for pickup or delivery this week. Hoping will take my little store to the next level. — Kimberly Gatto, The Wagging Tail, Las Vegas, NV

Cool, But …

I love the America’s Coolest Stores feature because the ideas inspire me to try new or different things in my stores. But the latest winner — while extremely cool — is more of an attraction or restaurant than a store. Maybe you need a new contest? — Keefer Dickerson, Nashville Pet Products, Nashville, TN

NASC Media Spotlight

At first it was just an idea: Animal supplements needed the same quality control that human-grade supplements receive. But that was enough to start a movement and an organization —the National Animal Supplement Council — that would be dedicated to establishing a comprehensive path forward for the animal supplements industry. In this Media Spotlight interview, NASC’s president, Bill Bookout, talks to PETS+ interviewer Chloe DiVita about the industry today: Where it’s headed, what’s the latest focus and why it’s vital to gain the involvement of independent pet product retailers.