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Message |
    
Wendyn
Supporter
Username: Wendyn
Post Number: 1878
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 10:19 am: |     |
Went there yesterday for the first time since it has converted.
Positives:
Bill was very nice. Staff was (as always) very nice. Main thing I appreciate is that they ALWAYS offer help, and ALWAYS offer to carry my huge bag of dog food to the car. I never have to ask. Bill also gave me help on buying treats for my dog who is having problems swallowing, and gave me free samples of the pet food he is pushing.
Negatives:
Bill gave me samples of the pet food he is pushing despite my using an already excellent brand. I appreciate the samples and will use them as treats, but since I did lots of research on picking a pet food I don't like to be second guessed. He also tried to contradict my vet's advice on food which I didn't appreciate.
I'll be back because they are nice, it is very convenient, and they sell (and carry to my car) my dog food. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 1713
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 10:32 am: | |
Hey Phen-
I think it's pretty even the number of people who've gripped about the pet store vs. those who didn't. And I think Peterglider might have been being sarcastic with his comment about the mailing list.
You might be right about the staff being too busy feeding the snakes to allow the other animals to be held. That or they were too busy trying to decided what to do with the dead mice in the box they had.
Yes, the snakes do have to eat; but one would think they would be feed at night, after the store is closed, or the morning, before they open.
Someone mentioned they thought maybe the store was a mess because they were in the middle of a transition. Okay, that could explain things. Moving displays and boxes would cause one's clothes to be messy.
I'll give them another chance. But, as it is, I didn't go into NJ Pets that often because the parking lot was hard to get out of.
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Camnol
Citizen
Username: Camnol
Post Number: 57
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 10:43 am: | |
I like the Maplewood Pet Shop, but they don't carry the brand of dog food I use. My local choices are Pro Pets and the shop in Millburn. The few times I went into NJ Pets (pre changeover) there were pantry moths flying all over. I don't want to deal with another moth invasion (pain in the neck) so I've been buying from the Millburn feed store. For everything else, I buy from Bill in Maplewood. |
Phenixrising
Citizen
Username: Phenixrising
Post Number: 936
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 11:06 am: | |
JTA,
I was referring to your comments about the staff. The MAJORITY seems to be PLEASED with the service. Besides yourself, there were no negative comments about the staff clothes. Hey, I sit here in my office and my clothes get a bit wrinkled at the end of the day. Baggy clothes? It's the style with the youngins
Since they are in a transition, I didn't expect the store to look like neat.
Yes, the snakes do have to eat; but one would think they would be feed at night, after the store is closed, or the morning, before they open.
I'm sure they have a schedule JTA when they are suppose to be fed. Just like other animals, they need to eat at certain times.
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Alison
Citizen
Username: Alikoz
Post Number: 110
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 2:32 pm: | |
This is a pet store, not a petting zoo!! |
jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 75
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 3:02 pm: | |
Its seems to me that there are a number of parallels bewteen what happened to NJ Pets and Shop Rite. The owners of the old Shop Rite also owned the Shop Rite in Livingston. That store they kept upgrading and renovating and it became a flagship store. Meanwhile the store in South Orange went downhill. They never kept it up, and ultimately when it got bad enough, they bailed out.
I see the same pattern with NJ pets. Go to the store on Route 10 and it is well kept, well stocked and generally a flagship for the company. In South Orange they never really kept up the appearance of the place, and ultimately bailed out.
Both chains can say its because the square footage of the location kept them from improving. I don't buy it. Look at Kings in Maplewood. Its like most Kings only smaller.
I think our trustees and village president especially, if they are going to play at being developers, better look hard at the issues we face and find out why those bigger players bail out rather than invest. Its okay that we are left only with independent retailers in the town, but we should require that they meet top notch standards to get our business. I am not willing to "look the other way".
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Lucy
Supporter
Username: Lucy
Post Number: 70
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 4:11 pm: | |
Parking is the #1 problem in this town and until someone takes responsibilty for the total lack of planning how can it be fixed? |
mary brenner
Citizen
Username: Marybrenner
Post Number: 1
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 4:23 pm: | |
i used this pet store all the time and have never had issues with the way it was run.
I am a new MOLer |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 2092
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 4:32 pm: | |
Welcome to MOL.
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Nonymous Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 8319
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 4:39 pm: | |
Lucy, I hear parking is difficult at the train station, but it's not at the pet shop. Of course, it depends on what you call difficult. |
Ligeti
Citizen
Username: Ligeti
Post Number: 254
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 5:11 pm: | |
There is NO parking problem in Maplewood or South Orange. Anywhere. You can ALWAYS find a space within a couple of blocks. Just because you don't see an empty space directly in front of a store (like NJ Pets or Kings or whatever) doesn't mean there is a parking problem. It's like those people at malls who drive around for what seems like hours just to get the closest available space. I go straight to the first empty space I see (within reason), get in, shop and get out while these kooks are still circling the lot. |
Pizzaz
Supporter
Username: Pizzaz
Post Number: 2068
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 5:21 pm: | |
Mary, I second the welcome to MOL. I use the store all the time too. It is very convenient to have a pet store in town. The staff have always been attentive in helping customers as they come in. |
AntoninaKC
Citizen
Username: Antoninakc
Post Number: 48
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 9:28 pm: | |
Pizzaz- just a silly question in light of this forum-- do you have rabbits for pets? |
Sheena Collum SHU
Citizen
Username: Sheena_collum
Post Number: 264
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 11:31 pm: | |
Mary - Welcome to MOL!
(And Good Luck...) |
Lucy
Supporter
Username: Lucy
Post Number: 74
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 11:39 pm: | |
Mary welcome to the boards. You shop at the pet store do you have furry friend? |
cheech
Citizen
Username: Lillie
Post Number: 10
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 11:50 pm: | |
It's a new business . Someone paid hard money for it, and it's not coming out of YOUR pocket, so it's very easy to be critical. Envision yourself as a new business owner, it just might take you a while to get everything running exactly as it should be. In this day and age of the Walmart's and the resurrection of employee slavery as a means of keping profits up and the worker down, I vote for giving the small business a more than even chance, and time to get everything running well. |
Starletta8
Supporter
Username: Starletta8
Post Number: 56
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2005 - 12:18 am: | |
I went there occasionally, and plan to go to the new store occasionally.
Unfortunately, my pig is so spoiled she only likes certain treats, which they don't have there. Same with a few other items she requires.
However, I try to support a local store as much as I can for the items they do carry... |
Sheena Collum SHU
Citizen
Username: Sheena_collum
Post Number: 266
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2005 - 2:09 am: | |
TOUCHE CHEECH!!!!
That has to be the greatest thing I've read on MOL this week and I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with you!
You get the Smart Cookie award... |
growler
Citizen
Username: Growler
Post Number: 705
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2005 - 7:29 am: | |
Cheech has nailed it 100%. It's a new business jayjayp. Give them more that a month or two to iron out the kinks. I'll say it again, posting your problems with a business here on MOL does NOTHING for the business to improve. You physically have to go to the store and talk to the owner in a non-confrontational way regarding your ideas. |
Phenixrising
Citizen
Username: Phenixrising
Post Number: 937
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2005 - 8:26 am: | |
I second a TOUCHE to Cheech!
and…WELCOME TO MOL MARY! |
Phenixrising
Citizen
Username: Phenixrising
Post Number: 938
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2005 - 8:31 am: | |
"I'll say it again, posting your problems with a business here on MOL does NOTHING for the business to improve. You physically have to go to the store and talk to the owner in a non-confrontational way regarding your ideas."
EXCELLENT POINT!!! |
Pizzaz
Supporter
Username: Pizzaz
Post Number: 2071
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2005 - 8:45 am: | |
AntoninaKC: No domesticated rabbits at home. When we first purchased our current home there was a pair in our neighborhood. Today, I think a good many village residents, between Ridgewood and Wyoming, would say they're are all over the place.  |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 1728
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2005 - 12:56 pm: | |
We saw a bunny in our yard the other day. At first we thought it was one of the kid's bunny that got loose. Luckily, it wasn't. I think you're right, they are all over the place. |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 1729
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2005 - 1:08 pm: | |
A follow up to my older post about the snakes. I called Pet Pro to ask when the snakes were normally fed because my nephew's wanted to watch. I was told they were fed at night, after the store closed because feeding them during the day freaks out the customers.
With the petting of the bunnies and other small animals that use to be in the round thing by the small pet supplies. I asked why they no longer kept animals to pet. Was told they do, but they don't keep as many. They are changing inventory, so there should be animals there to pet soon.
When there are animals in there customers can still pet them; but, they aren't supposed to take the animals out of the others cages just to pet them. I do respect this. However, we were told that day customers were no longer allowed to pet the animals. Okay, maybe that was a misunderstanding.
Messy clothes, was not aware they wre moving things around, as some posters have mentioned. That could explain all the boxes and products all over the place. Same with the disheveld look. (I said this in another post).
I do have to give them credit with the small animal products. They had some cute things for my nephew's bunnies and my friend's pigs!
My nephews are now mad at me because they didn't get to see the snake eat. 'It's not fair!' The one yelled at me. 'How come SHE get's to see them eat and we don't? She didn't even want to see it and WE do!'
Anyone have a snake they can feed while my nephews watch?  |
Alison
Citizen
Username: Alikoz
Post Number: 113
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2005 - 1:56 pm: | |
Can someone explain the wild rabbits everyone keeps referring too? They live free but are domestic breeds? How many are there, by estimate? And where in the neighborhood? That is SO COOL!
I also remember reading about wild parrots in town. I am dying to see a wild parrot or wild bunny.
How do these animals survive the winter? I am so intrigued. If I am this excited, I can only imagine how psyched kids are to have these animals living in their yards! |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 1747
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 15, 2005 - 12:41 am: | |
Alison-
Come on over to my house! There seems to be a wild bunny that likes to torture the bunnies my nephews bunnies when they put them in the outside hutch.
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