From Chandler to the Spotlight: PR Lessons from a Luxury Pet Store
Welcome to The Whisker Report, a fresh and engaging podcast designed to help anyone in the pet industry—whether running an animal welfare nonprofit or a for-profit pet business—gain valuable PR insights and buzz. Hosted by Mary Tan and her French counterpart Alexane Ricard, the show delivers practical advice, inspiring stories, and expert guidance, all with a global perspective. In this episode, the team chats with Megan Ames, owner of a new luxury pet store in Chandler, Arizona, to explore the marketing and PR strategies behind launching her business. Megan shares lessons learned, insights on balancing entrepreneurial tasks with PR efforts, and the unique ways her store integrates animal rescue into its branding. Produced by Mark Winter of Pet Life Radio, The Whisker Report is your go-to resource for mastering PR in the pet world.
Listen to Episode #15 Now:
BIO:
Hey there! I'm Megan, and I am thrilled to welcome you to the wonderful world of Bark & Luv! As the proud owner of this natural pet store and self-dog wash in beautiful Chandler, Arizona, I found my calling by combining two of my biggest passions: animals and their nutritional wellbeing.
With my background as a seasoned veterinary technician and certified in pet food nutrition, I have dedicated my career to ensuring that our furry friends get the absolute best. After witnessing a need for a store that offers top-notch, all-natural products for pets, I took the plunge and started Bark & Luv - a place where you can find everything your beloved companion deserves.
But Bark & Luv is more than just a store to me; it's a community that celebrates the furry wonders of the world. I strive to create a welcoming environment where pet parents can come together, share stories, and seek advice for their fur babies. It's about going beyond a transaction - it's about building relationships and supporting one another on this incredible journey we call pet parenthood.
So, whether you're in search of the best in pet nutrition, a fellow animal lover looking for a chat, or simply need a relaxing self-dog wash experience, Bark & Luv is your go-to destination! Let's come together and give our pets the love, care, and nourishment they deserve.
Transcript:
00:00:02.140 --> 00:00:04.000
Announcer: This is Pet Life Radio.
00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:05.060
Announcer: Let's Talk Pets.
00:00:14.727 --> 00:00:17.867
MaryTan: Hello, and welcome to The Whisker Report.
00:00:17.867 --> 00:00:29.387
MaryTan: We're a brand new pet podcast to try to help the pet industry, as well as animal welfare groups, get the PR and buzz and publicity that they need.
00:00:29.387 --> 00:00:37.307
MaryTan: I'm Mary Tan, one of the hosts of the show, along with Alexane Ricard, my French counterpart across the pond.
00:00:37.307 --> 00:00:39.007
MaryTan: Bonjour, Alexane.
00:00:39.047 --> 00:00:40.427
Alexane Ricard: Bonjour, tout le monde.
00:00:40.427 --> 00:00:42.567
Alexane Ricard: We're so excited about the show today.
00:00:42.567 --> 00:00:52.027
Alexane Ricard: We've got an awesome guest, Megan Ames, who just opened a brand new luxury pet store in Arizona, Chandler, Arizona.
00:00:52.027 --> 00:01:00.787
Alexane Ricard: But first, I just want to introduce you to Mark Winter, our producer of Pet Life Radio, who is the man who gets us to you each and every week.
00:01:00.787 --> 00:01:01.547
Mark Winter: Hi, everyone.
00:01:01.547 --> 00:01:02.647
Alexane Ricard: How's it going?
00:01:02.647 --> 00:01:03.707
Mark Winter: Happy Friday.
00:01:03.707 --> 00:01:05.327
MaryTan: What are you up to?
00:01:05.327 --> 00:01:07.087
MaryTan: Getting ready for Super Zoo.
00:01:07.087 --> 00:01:08.287
Alexane Ricard: Drinking margaritas?
00:01:08.787 --> 00:01:09.467
Mark Winter: It's a little early.
00:01:09.467 --> 00:01:12.567
Mark Winter: It's only like 10.30 in the morning.
00:01:12.567 --> 00:01:13.527
Mark Winter: Maybe later.
00:01:13.527 --> 00:01:14.187
Mark Winter: We'll see.
00:01:14.187 --> 00:01:21.107
MaryTan: Well, we are so honored to be part of the Pet Life Radio network, and you can do PR for yourself.
00:01:21.107 --> 00:01:23.507
MaryTan: And Alex, Mark and I are here to help you.
00:01:23.507 --> 00:01:27.007
MaryTan: But first, before we bring in Megan, let's go to our sponsor.
00:01:27.007 --> 00:01:28.487
MaryTan: We'll be right back.
00:01:30.087 --> 00:01:32.547
Announcer: Take a bite out of your competition.
00:01:32.547 --> 00:01:36.967
Announcer: Advertise your business with an ad in Pet Life Radio podcasts and radio shows.
00:01:37.387 --> 00:01:44.567
Announcer:There is no other pet-related media that is as large and reaches more pet parents and pet lovers than Pet Life Radio.
00:01:44.567 --> 00:01:51.467
Announcer: With over 7 million monthly listeners, Pet Life Radio podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms.
00:01:51.467 --> 00:02:00.907
Announcer:And our live radio stream goes out to over 250 million subscribers on iHeart Radio, Audacy,, TuneIn and other streaming apps.
00:02:00.907 --> 00:02:07.747
Announcer:For more information on how you can advertise on the number one pet podcast and radio network, visit petliferadio.com/advertise today.
00:02:12.107 --> 00:02:15.187
Announcer:Let's Talk Pets on petliferadio.com.
00:02:24.121 --> 00:02:34.461
Alexane Ricard: We're back, and we're so excited to introduce you to Megan Ames, who recently started a brand new luxury pet store in Chandler, Arizona, right outside of Phoenix, I think.
00:02:34.461 --> 00:02:35.421
Alexane Ricard: Welcome, Megan.
00:02:35.421 --> 00:02:38.501
Alexane Ricard: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your store?
00:02:38.501 --> 00:02:39.881
Megan Ames: Well, yes, thank you for having me.
00:02:39.881 --> 00:02:41.541
Megan Ames: I'm super excited to join you guys.
00:02:41.541 --> 00:02:58.321
Megan Ames: So Bark & Luv started a vision about five years ago as a boarding and daycare facility, and I'm a certified Nut Canine Nutritionist and just decided to range it back a little bit and bring more focus to holistic animal health and holistic pet products.
00:02:58.321 --> 00:03:09.441
Megan Ames: But in an upscale environment where, you know, it's just a little bit more fun and friendly to come to and have just this little bougie uniqueness to the pet retail world.
00:03:09.441 --> 00:03:14.501
Megan Ames: I brought it, I started Bark & Luv, it actually opened in March of 2024, end of March.
00:03:14.501 --> 00:03:16.461
Megan Ames: Our grand opening was in April of 2024.
00:03:16.921 --> 00:03:28.081
Megan Ames: And we've been growing strong ever since, but Bark & Luv has a curated selection of food, treats, toys, accessories, our unique self dog wash individual rooms, all holistically approached.
00:03:28.081 --> 00:03:33.621
Megan Ames: Anything I bring into my store, it goes through a stringent research of the product ingredient line.
00:03:33.661 --> 00:03:37.381
Megan Ames: If I wouldn't feed it to my dogs, it won't be in my store type of a thing.
00:03:37.381 --> 00:03:41.361
Megan Ames: My dogs do our raw fed dogs, but I do have kibble as well in the store.
00:03:41.361 --> 00:03:44.421
Megan Ames: Again, if I didn't bring into my store, I wouldn't feed it to my dogs.
00:03:44.421 --> 00:03:47.621
Megan Ames: If I don't bring it to my store or something, I would not feed to my dogs.
00:03:47.621 --> 00:03:48.621
MaryTan: I have a question.
00:03:48.621 --> 00:03:54.021
MaryTan: Starting a business is so daunting and just so much work.
00:03:54.021 --> 00:03:55.581
MaryTan: And of course, you know that.
00:03:55.581 --> 00:04:02.541
MaryTan: How did you decide to go into the luxury kind of bougie space as you described it?
00:04:02.541 --> 00:04:05.441
Megan Ames: Just decided that when I'm a shopper, my pets are my kids.
00:04:05.441 --> 00:04:08.761
Megan Ames: I have grown adult children, but my pets are now my children.
00:04:08.761 --> 00:04:13.441
Megan Ames: And I want that same experience for them as I would have my human children.
00:04:13.441 --> 00:04:25.161
Megan Ames: I want to go somewhere where they're welcome, where they can go into the store, and it's a fancy store atmosphere, but yet we have the presence of, we don't work at great customer service.
00:04:25.161 --> 00:04:31.461
Megan Ames: We pride ourselves on welcoming anybody and everybody into our store, and just want that uniqueness.
00:04:31.461 --> 00:04:37.121
Megan Ames: I think it's kind of, we decided to go with the little upscale environment, but still be friendly and welcoming to everybody.
00:04:37.121 --> 00:04:37.941
Alexane Ricard: I have a question.
00:04:37.941 --> 00:04:44.541
Alexane Ricard: So you knew what kind of store you wanted, and then did you choose Chandler Arizona because of that?
00:04:44.601 --> 00:04:51.121
Alexane Ricard: Like, did you choose the city where you would open your store because of the high-end and luxury pet store you wanted?
00:04:51.121 --> 00:04:55.901
Alexane Ricard: Or did you choose Chandler first before having the idea of what kind of store you wanted?
00:04:55.901 --> 00:05:08.661
Megan Ames: So I chose Chandler based on a market study of out here that we did demographically, as well as what was in my area and competition wise, as far as where there's a need for a store like mine with the holistic type of products that we carry.
00:05:08.721 --> 00:05:14.021
Megan Ames: And Scottsdale is a great place to be out here with this type of a store and this type of a unique store.
00:05:14.021 --> 00:05:20.141
Megan Ames: However, there's multiple pet retail holistic stores in Scottsdale, and there's none out in the East Valley.
00:05:20.381 --> 00:05:23.001
Megan Ames: There's far and few between out in the East Valley of Arizona.
00:05:23.001 --> 00:05:26.341
Megan Ames: So Chandler, we're on the Chandler-Awatuke-Tempi border.
00:05:26.341 --> 00:05:35.141
Megan Ames: So kind of right in the just of it where there's multiple different cities, but yet there's not a lot of holistic based pet stores out in this area.
00:05:35.141 --> 00:05:46.901
Megan Ames: So for me, being a nutrition coach and being a certified Kena nutritionist, I wanted to bring in that environment, not necessarily an upscale environment, but that nutrition aspect to somewhere where there's a need.
00:05:46.901 --> 00:05:50.641
MaryTan: And tell us a little bit about, you had a very successful grand opening.
00:05:50.641 --> 00:05:51.981
MaryTan: There were people, right?
00:05:51.981 --> 00:05:54.741
MaryTan: Just waiting outside to get in, is that correct?
00:05:54.741 --> 00:05:55.561
Megan Ames: That is correct.
00:05:55.561 --> 00:06:00.861
Megan Ames: So we opened our grand opening on a Sunday morning with our grand opening event.
00:06:00.861 --> 00:06:01.921
Megan Ames: We opened at 10 a.m.
00:06:01.921 --> 00:06:03.541
Megan Ames: on normal time on Sundays.
00:06:03.541 --> 00:06:08.841
Megan Ames: At 8.30, we had a line out the door about 20 feet long.
00:06:08.841 --> 00:06:12.261
Megan Ames: By 9 o'clock, it was about 100 feet long.
00:06:12.261 --> 00:06:12.661
Megan Ames: 10 a.m.
00:06:12.661 --> 00:06:20.721
Megan Ames: when we opened, we had a line 550 feet out our door, all the way down our sidewalk, past four or five of our other retail tenants in our building.
00:06:20.721 --> 00:06:23.241
Megan Ames: And somebody went out and took a photo of it.
00:06:23.241 --> 00:06:27.221
Megan Ames: And there was just so many people, so many dogs just standing in line.
00:06:27.221 --> 00:06:35.241
Megan Ames: We actually had to have two of our staff members at our front door, letting a certain number of people in and a certain number of people out, or else there would have been no place to shop in our store.
00:06:35.661 --> 00:06:36.881
MaryTan: Wow.
00:06:36.881 --> 00:06:40.821
MaryTan: So can you talk about all the PR and marketing that you did?
00:06:40.821 --> 00:06:44.181
MaryTan: How did you decide how to market your store?
00:06:44.181 --> 00:06:55.941
Megan Ames: So I use a company called Pet Engine Marketing, and Matt Aldrich and his team created a lot of buzz about Bark & Luv and what was going on, and then introduced me to Mary.
00:06:55.941 --> 00:07:12.101
Megan Ames: And Mary and Whisker Media were hired as my PR company to kind of promote our store, some of our unique features, and to get the word out a little bit more to some media outlets that, hey, Bark & Luv is here, it's a unique store, there's none like it in Arizona, come check it out.
00:07:12.101 --> 00:07:12.621
MaryTan: Yeah.
00:07:12.621 --> 00:07:16.001
MaryTan: So Matt's wonderful, by the way, we all know Matt.
00:07:16.001 --> 00:07:19.601
MaryTan: We're all part of this networking group called the Pet Industry Network.
00:07:19.601 --> 00:07:23.461
MaryTan: If you need a creative person, that's where to find them.
00:07:23.461 --> 00:07:30.241
MaryTan: So what were some of the things that you did to get the word out that Matt had you do and that sort of thing?
00:07:30.241 --> 00:07:31.621
Megan Ames: Well, we did a lot of flyers.
00:07:32.281 --> 00:07:34.441
Megan Ames: We pretty much flyered the whole valley.
00:07:34.441 --> 00:07:47.301
Megan Ames: Let's see, we did a couple of news articles, a lot of social media marketing, a lot of social media event through Facebook and Instagram, and then posted in a lot of the local little like Awachiki 411s, the little social media community groups.
00:07:47.301 --> 00:07:47.761
MaryTan: Yeah.
00:07:47.761 --> 00:07:50.321
MaryTan: And what do you think was the clincher?
00:07:50.321 --> 00:07:56.481
MaryTan: Or do you think it was just you need all of these different tools to get the same result that you did?
00:07:56.481 --> 00:07:59.841
MaryTan: Or do you think there was one thing that was better than others?
00:08:00.521 --> 00:08:04.841
Megan Ames: I think honestly, having my PR campaign was quite a bit successful.
00:08:04.841 --> 00:08:13.361
Megan Ames: We got some news pieces on our grand opening event, and I think just having the entire state of Arizona see that on the news was very helpful for us.
00:08:13.361 --> 00:08:14.601
MaryTan: That's so awesome.
00:08:14.601 --> 00:08:23.401
MaryTan: So tell us your advice to somebody who is looking to open a pet store or even like some sort of a pet industry kind of business.
00:08:23.401 --> 00:08:25.061
MaryTan: What would you advise them?
00:08:25.061 --> 00:08:27.201
MaryTan: What were some of the lessons you learned?
00:08:27.201 --> 00:08:28.401
Megan Ames: Plan ahead of time.
00:08:28.641 --> 00:08:32.901
Megan Ames: When you plan to open, plan to open about three months later, and that we had a couple of roadblocks.
00:08:32.901 --> 00:08:38.521
Megan Ames: My wash tubs came from the Netherlands and they sat on a boat for two months in New York or on a ship.
00:08:38.521 --> 00:08:49.061
Megan Ames: And because they're unique individual rooms with walls up, once the tubs had to go in before the walls could go up, and because they don't fit through a standard door, we have our double doors in our store and those are in the front.
00:08:49.061 --> 00:08:50.821
Megan Ames: We have a single receiving door in the back.
00:08:50.821 --> 00:08:52.841
Megan Ames: And so they had to come through the front of the store.
00:08:52.841 --> 00:08:55.921
Megan Ames: So they couldn't finish the front of the store until the tubs were here.
00:08:55.921 --> 00:08:59.281
Megan Ames: So it took about three and a half months longer than what we expected to open.
00:08:59.281 --> 00:09:01.201
Megan Ames: My construction kept getting delayed.
00:09:01.201 --> 00:09:04.061
Megan Ames: So just plan ahead for those types of experiences.
00:09:04.061 --> 00:09:11.121
Megan Ames: I ended up having a lot of my orders coming to my house because of that reason, because we kept putting in delay and my distributors couldn't hold them that long.
00:09:11.121 --> 00:09:13.241
Megan Ames: So they just started delivering it all to my house.
00:09:13.241 --> 00:09:13.761
MaryTan: Oh my gosh.
00:09:13.761 --> 00:09:17.401
Megan Ames: My garage was, I had to actually have a moving trip from my house to my store.
00:09:17.401 --> 00:09:19.061
Megan Ames: It was an interesting experience.
00:09:19.061 --> 00:09:22.341
Megan Ames: But just planning ahead for things like that.
00:09:22.341 --> 00:09:23.601
Megan Ames: Market research for sure.
00:09:23.601 --> 00:09:30.601
Megan Ames: Research your competition in your area and have something to set yourself apart as individual independent pet stores, you need something that's unique.
00:09:30.601 --> 00:09:36.921
Megan Ames: Because it doesn't say that another independent pet or another franchise independent pet store is going to open up down the street for me, right?
00:09:36.921 --> 00:09:40.901
Megan Ames: So what would be able to differentiate you from your competition in the area?
00:09:40.901 --> 00:09:44.181
Megan Ames: Have something unique in your store that somebody else doesn't have.
00:09:44.181 --> 00:09:46.821
Megan Ames: So we have a couple of experiences like our dog washes.
00:09:46.821 --> 00:09:49.401
Megan Ames: Nobody has those within 30 miles of us.
00:09:49.401 --> 00:09:53.521
Megan Ames: There's one other store in the state of Arizona that has the same types of tubs.
00:09:53.521 --> 00:09:54.721
Megan Ames: Nobody else has them in Arizona.
00:09:55.141 --> 00:09:59.901
Megan Ames: Have a unique piece like our gumball machine that dispenses tennis balls, the Bark & Luv Lottery.
00:09:59.901 --> 00:10:04.041
Megan Ames: Proprietary to Bark & Luv, I don't tell anybody how to get that machine.
00:10:04.041 --> 00:10:08.461
Megan Ames: I've been asked many times because it is unique, but it's a Bark & Luv exclusive.
00:10:08.461 --> 00:10:13.721
Megan Ames: So having something unique to your brand, to your business that nobody else has is very key.
00:10:13.721 --> 00:10:21.681
Alexane Ricard: Yeah, and I think that's how you also got so much coverage, at least for your grand opening, is because you have so many unique points.
00:10:21.741 --> 00:10:27.961
Alexane Ricard: Like, it's so different, and that's how I think, from a PR perspective, we managed to get you so much coverage.
00:10:27.961 --> 00:10:37.801
MaryTan: Yeah, I can tell you, Megan, that your store being so different is what garnered the media coverage, because there's a lot of pet stores out there.
00:10:37.801 --> 00:10:47.941
MaryTan: But most of them are kind of your typical pet stores, but you really captured having something unique and something to differentiate yourself.
00:10:47.941 --> 00:10:53.801
MaryTan: And that's the same in PR, it is finding something that differentiates.
00:10:53.961 --> 00:11:01.461
MaryTan: I'd like to ask you another question about your work with Animal Rescues, but we need to take a quick break, and we'll come back right after this.
00:11:21.861 --> 00:11:25.381
Announcer: Elevate your cat's eating experience with the Cat Tree Tray.
00:11:25.381 --> 00:11:30.781
Announcer: The Cat Tree Tray keeps your cat's food off the floor and is conveniently located on the cat tree.
00:11:31.501 --> 00:11:32.681
Announcer: Visit www.cattreetree.com.
00:11:34.381 --> 00:11:38.541
Announcer: Bring home a luxury French Bulldog from the world famous Tom King's Kennel.
00:11:38.541 --> 00:11:41.941
Announcer: Premium French Bulldogs from excellent European bloodlines.
00:11:41.941 --> 00:11:46.561
Announcer: Superior puppy care and lifetime health guarantee for your perfect companion.
00:11:46.601 --> 00:11:50.421
Announcer: Use code Tom King's Magic for a magical holiday discount.
00:11:50.421 --> 00:11:55.121
Announcer: Visit tomkingskennel.com and find your perfect Frenchie today.
00:11:55.121 --> 00:11:58.001
Announcer: Your pets will be over the moon with sparkly jewelry.
00:11:58.041 --> 00:12:02.921
Announcer: From Over the Moon Jewelry, beautiful handcrafted matching jewelry for you and your pets.
00:12:02.921 --> 00:12:07.341
Announcer: Wire wrapped, beaded contemporary necklaces, bracelets and charms.
00:12:07.341 --> 00:12:09.001
Announcer: Go to overthemoonjewelry.com.
00:12:21.041 --> 00:12:22.221
Announcer: Let's talk, pets.
00:12:22.221 --> 00:12:23.121
Announcer: Let's talk, pets.
00:12:23.121 --> 00:12:24.181
Announcer: On Pet Life Radio.
00:12:24.181 --> 00:12:25.481
Announcer: Pet Life Radio.
00:12:25.541 --> 00:12:27.661
Announcer: Pet Life radio.com.
00:12:37.030 --> 00:12:38.670
Mary Tan: And we're back with Megan.
00:12:38.670 --> 00:12:48.610
Alexane Ricard: So, Megan, I also remember during your grant opening, you partnered with An Animal Rescue, local one, can't remember the name, but I think you're still doing it.
00:12:48.610 --> 00:12:50.710
Alexane Ricard: I think you're having adoption days.
00:12:50.710 --> 00:12:52.570
Alexane Ricard: Could you tell us a bit more about that?
00:12:52.570 --> 00:12:55.550
Megan Ames: Absolutely, so we partnered with Dogs Day Out Arizona.
00:12:55.550 --> 00:13:00.850
Megan Ames: They're a nonprofit that keeps the homeless pets on the street with their homeless owners.
00:13:00.850 --> 00:13:08.610
Megan Ames: But not only do they provide food, booties, toys, water, cooling mats, things like that for the dogs.
00:13:08.610 --> 00:13:13.010
Megan Ames: They also provide items for the humans from clothing, toiletries.
00:13:13.010 --> 00:13:22.030
Megan Ames: They do an outreach every week in Central Phoenix, where they have three to four hundred people show up to volunteer, and then people that receive items.
00:13:22.030 --> 00:13:25.490
Megan Ames: And just every week they have an outreach mission.
00:13:25.490 --> 00:13:36.010
Megan Ames: And then when those homeless pets on the street can't stay with their owners, or the owners need to release them to somebody, they partner with a couple little local rescues who we partner with and do our adoption events.
00:13:36.010 --> 00:13:41.410
Megan Ames: Dogs Day Out organizes our adoption event every second Saturday of the month at Bark & Luv.
00:13:41.410 --> 00:13:48.650
Megan Ames: We've had two so far, and of those two adoption events, two soon to be three dogs have been adopted from those events.
00:13:48.650 --> 00:13:49.210
Megan Ames: That's amazing.
00:13:49.210 --> 00:13:51.450
MaryTan: That's so amazing.
00:13:51.450 --> 00:13:53.470
MaryTan: I love that.
00:13:53.470 --> 00:14:04.450
MaryTan: Rescue is really, a lot of pet stores have adoption events, even PetSmart have rescue animals in the store and sort of things.
00:14:04.450 --> 00:14:12.550
MaryTan: And even though a lot of stores do that, I really think that that's a great PR, because the media loves animals.
00:14:12.550 --> 00:14:16.990
MaryTan: They love animal stories, and they love it when you're helping a nonprofit.
00:14:16.990 --> 00:14:24.510
MaryTan: And also I wanted to mention that your two little doxies were also in all the news hits, and they were a huge hit.
00:14:24.510 --> 00:14:29.770
MaryTan: I mean, I remember some of the stations asked me, is Megan going to have live animals there?
00:14:29.770 --> 00:14:31.710
MaryTan: So tell us about that.
00:14:31.710 --> 00:14:34.510
MaryTan: Your two doxies actually come to work with you every day.
00:14:34.510 --> 00:14:35.930
Megan Ames: They do, every day except for Tuesday.
00:14:35.930 --> 00:14:42.710
Megan Ames: Tuesdays are our delivery days, so we have several trucks in and out here and doors open, so those guys get to stay at home with their pet sitter that day.
00:14:42.710 --> 00:14:45.670
Megan Ames: So Elliot and Piper, my doxies, are five and two.
00:14:45.670 --> 00:14:49.890
Megan Ames: Both mini doxies, wonderful, they love people, they love attention.
00:14:49.890 --> 00:14:51.770
Megan Ames: So they come to our store, they get to hang out.
00:14:51.770 --> 00:14:57.130
Megan Ames: Every morning when we open, they run my store before the doors are unlocked.
00:14:57.130 --> 00:15:00.810
Megan Ames: And we have this really cool two bar in our store, unique body parts.
00:15:00.810 --> 00:15:09.390
Megan Ames: Our raw bar from duck heads to rabbit fears, you name it, there's all different alligator skin, there's all different exotic twos in my two bar.
00:15:09.390 --> 00:15:16.310
Megan Ames: And Elliot, every morning when he comes in the store, goes to the two bar and picks something out on his own and steals it.
00:15:16.310 --> 00:15:18.830
Megan Ames: Brings it back to the office and choose on it.
00:15:18.830 --> 00:15:26.210
Megan Ames: One day, my assistant manager was up at the register and he walked up there, took a two out, was walking back with it in his mouth.
00:15:26.210 --> 00:15:30.230
Megan Ames: And she took this video of him and she goes, Excuse me, sir, are you going to pay for that?
00:15:30.230 --> 00:15:32.810
Megan Ames: And the minute she said that in the video, he dropped it on the floor.
00:15:32.810 --> 00:15:34.010
Megan Ames: It was the best ever.
00:15:34.010 --> 00:15:35.810
Megan Ames: So like he knew he was in trouble.
00:15:35.810 --> 00:15:38.230
Megan Ames: I had five of these one twos in my office one day.
00:15:38.230 --> 00:15:39.630
Megan Ames: They were tremendous sticks.
00:15:39.630 --> 00:15:41.850
Megan Ames: And I'm like, where do these all come from?
00:15:41.850 --> 00:15:47.910
Megan Ames: My inventory was quite off because Elliot had taken five of them at some different time and put them in the office and hit them.
00:15:47.910 --> 00:15:50.330
Megan Ames: So those got moved to the top where he couldn't reach anymore.
00:15:50.370 --> 00:15:51.590
Megan Ames: But they come to my store.
00:15:51.590 --> 00:15:54.450
Megan Ames: They usually get a treat once a week from the Choo Bar.
00:15:54.450 --> 00:15:57.690
Megan Ames: They are super friendly at all of our PR events.
00:15:57.690 --> 00:16:00.170
Megan Ames: Elliot and Piper were dressed to the nines.
00:16:00.170 --> 00:16:03.350
Megan Ames: Elliot has a tux with a top hat and a bow tie.
00:16:03.350 --> 00:16:07.510
Megan Ames: Piper's in a little fancy black and white dress or a little dress of some sort.
00:16:07.510 --> 00:16:08.270
Megan Ames: They love attention.
00:16:08.270 --> 00:16:09.030
Megan Ames: They love to be cuddled.
00:16:09.030 --> 00:16:09.790
Megan Ames: They love to be held.
00:16:09.790 --> 00:16:14.150
Megan Ames: People actually come into my store, customers actually come into my store asking if Elliot and Piper are here today.
00:16:14.450 --> 00:16:20.450
MaryTan: Oh, they're definitely great marketing and PR tools.
00:16:20.450 --> 00:16:23.010
MaryTan: Every pet store should have live animals.
00:16:23.010 --> 00:16:24.170
MaryTan: Wouldn't you agree?
00:16:24.170 --> 00:16:25.250
Megan Ames: Absolutely.
00:16:25.250 --> 00:16:27.390
Megan Ames: Absolutely.
00:16:27.390 --> 00:16:28.490
MaryTan: All right.
00:16:28.490 --> 00:16:31.770
MaryTan: Well, we're just about at the end of our show.
00:16:31.770 --> 00:16:33.830
MaryTan: Do you have any last minute thoughts?
00:16:33.830 --> 00:16:40.870
MaryTan: Can you tell us where you're located in Phoenix so that anybody can stop by there that wants to check out your amazing store?
00:16:40.870 --> 00:16:41.130
Megan Ames: Sure.
00:16:41.130 --> 00:16:43.310
Megan Ames: So we're in Chandler off of the I-10 in Wright.
00:16:43.650 --> 00:16:48.070
Megan Ames: Our address is 7131 West Ray Road, Chandler 85226.
00:16:48.070 --> 00:16:53.930
Megan Ames: We're in the shops at Casa Paloma, which is considered the AJ's Grocery Store Plaza, next to Grimaldi's Pizza.
00:16:53.930 --> 00:16:55.250
MaryTan: All right.
00:16:55.250 --> 00:16:57.410
MaryTan: Well, that's a wrap for the show.
00:16:57.410 --> 00:16:59.370
MaryTan: Thank you so much, Megan.
00:16:59.370 --> 00:17:05.350
MaryTan: We're excited to be doing this for all of you out there who are making life better for animals.
00:17:05.350 --> 00:17:07.430
MaryTan: And do you have a question that you want answered?
00:17:07.430 --> 00:17:09.430
MaryTan: Well, Alex and I are here to help.
00:17:09.470 --> 00:17:16.050
MaryTan: Reach out on Instagram or Facebook under The Whisker Report, and we'll try to answer it in a future podcast episode.
00:17:16.050 --> 00:17:20.850
MaryTan: But as we always say, bark loud and purr smart.
00:17:20.850 --> 00:17:21.470
MaryTan: All right.
00:17:21.470 --> 00:17:22.850
MaryTan: See you, everyone.
00:17:22.850 --> 00:17:26.190
Announcer: Let's Talk Pets, every week on demand.
00:17:26.190 --> 00:17:27.910
Announcer: Only on petliferadio.com.