Pet Supplies to hold grand opening next weekend
File Photo
By Alan Mauldin
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ALBANY — Customers big and small were all smiles and were on their best behavior for a trip to the store, whether they were looking for a supply of food, a baked treat or a bath and grooming ahead of the holiday weekend.
Newly opened Pets Supplies Plus caters to dogs, and on Friday the customers included a large but gentle Rottweiler and a plethora of Poodle mixes.
Addison Greenway and her mother, Courtney, were among those taking advantage of the self-wash station that includes shampoo and a blow dryer to give Australian Labradoodle Gus a good scrubbing.
The 1224 N. Westover Blvd. pet supply store had a soft opening on June 17, with the grand opening set for July 9 and 10.
“We felt like it was perfect synergy between our veterinary office and the stores,” owner Steve Whatley, a veterinarian for 24 years who operates Bush Animal Clinic, said.
Pet Supplies Plus is a franchise that also has stores open or coming in South Carolina and Chattanooga, Tenn.
“Our stores are locally owned, and I think that’s the biggest difference,” Whatley said. “We think the opportunity is there. We have competition, but we feel like we’re unique here.”
In addition to aisles and aisles of food, including a cold section of food for cats, dogs, fish and more, along with treats and medications, Whatley sells ferrets, reptiles, parakeets and fish. A crate with cute, young kittens was near the front for adoption.
When it comes to dogs and cats, Whatley said he prefers to work in adoption rather than sales.
“We spend a lot of time in the community working with shelters, other groups, and being part of community events,” he said.
Dogs and cats are welcome to come in with their human companions, and staff is available for baths and pedicures, along with the self-serve option. The store employs 15 staff members.
“Last weekend we had a goat in its own buggy,” Whatley said. “We offer grooming and a hassle-free environment at warehouse prices.”
Store manager Gary Watson agreed that being locally-owned makes a difference.
“The fact that it’s locally-owned is important to me,” he said. “You’re able to communicate more personally than you can with a corporate store. That’s probably, for me, the biggest thing. If I have a question I can just call Steve.
“It’s different in how we train (employees), and our employees are top-notch.”
Among the coming events are pet adoption days at the store.
When it comes to helping pets deal with the stress of exploding fireworks over the holidays, Watson said the best way is to play recordings of fireworks, starting at a low volume and slowly increase the volume until the animal becomes more acclimated to the loud sounds.
In the short-term, keep dogs indoors or make outdoor animals secure in a kennel or area so that they cannot escape.
“They will hurt themselves,” he said of an animal that bolts due to fear of noise. “They’ll be out in the road running.”
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