Yankee Pet & Supply
Newport, N.H.
Beverly Douvier, Owner

How’s business?

Good. It’s been a lull for a year and a half; it hasn’t come out of it yet.

We’re at least holding steady to last year, if I don’t come up a couple of points by the end of the month, I’ll be down since last year, which was down from the year before. Business is sustained at that level.

Any trends in your business?

Dog food, I’ve expanded my dog food selection in the last month, and it’s doing well. Fish sales are junk, so I stopped carrying fish all together, I made that decision over the last six months. I sold my last fish tank yesterday. I lost about six thousand last year on fish. People just don’t buy them any more.

Anything new?

As I mentioned, I’ve expanded my dog food selection, I now carry Chicken Soup, Evo, Innova, California Natural, I brought those in a couple weeks ago, I added Earthborn Holistics in the last week.

I haven’t done any new promotions. You can’t cut your profit margin to cut your own throat. You still have to pay to your rent. I feel firmly that you need to bring in new stuff even if the business isn’t there. How are people going to come back?

Do you sell livestock?

We are dog and cat, we sell dogs and cats, and we also sell small animals. Dogs are our best seller.  --EM

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Millville’s Pet Shop
Millville, Del.
Willia Peoples, Owner

How’s business?

Good, springtime is always a rise in our sales. We haven’t dropped off any.  I’m in as resort area, so I always drop off at the first of the year and pick up as spring approaches.  It happens to me every year. 

Any trends in your business?

We’ve seen a rise in sales of our natural pet food lines.  Every one is doing well. We carry Natural Balance, Canidae, Eco Pack, Wellness. Hills is doing better than the others.

Anything new?

At the store, I do more promotions now than ever before. It seems like you have to entice the customer more than ever before. 

I offer discount coupons, frequent purchase plans, and we have a program called Pet Box. It is a reward program. It’s a point system loyalty program. It’s working pretty well for us.

Do you sell livestock?

We just sell small animals and birds. Fish is doing well for us right now. We added a saltwater side to our business and that’s done really well  --EM