It was a Winter to remember, wasn’t it? A lot of local businesses suffered due to the snow and frigid temperatures. There is some concern that people are just not interested in shopping local as was the case 15 or 20 years ago, and the harsh Winter just pushed those people into the arms of the on line markets and big stores with their big plowed parking lots.
There is a movement here in town to try and revitalize the downtown area and draw people back into downtown. There is a discussion going on right now at the Website Visit Exeter NH (www,visitexeternh.com/blog), where townspeople as well as business owners mull over different ideas. What could businesses offer that would bring people into the down town area and keep them coming back. You only have to look at Portsmouth and Dover to see how vibrant an old fashion New England town can be. We want Exeter to be like that too! If you have a few minutes, please take a look and read the concerns and possible solutions.
Here at The Pet Pantry, we used the times we were snowed in to brainstorm ways we could improve our business. We needed to come up with some ideas that would make this little local store in downtown Exeter different than the big box stores or even the on-line retailers.
We spent a lot of time rearranging the store itself. We now offer a full line of home made dog treats displayed on a “Do it yourself” treat bar.
We built new displays for pre packaged home made treats and cookies. We opened up our bath and grooming room for inexpensive and quick doggy baths and blow dry for the upcoming mud and swimming season, but that wasn’t enough. We asked the question “What could we do better that no one else does?”
We came up with a few ideas.
* Home delivery of items purchased at the store. Need dog food but can’t get to us? We’ll bring it to you.
* Pick up and drop off for your dog for baths and grooming.
* Quick, no appointment nail trimming.
There are probably a lot of other ideas we’ve just not thought of. We would welcome any and all feedback that would help us improve out business. We know that we are already considered to be a knowledgeable place when it come to toys, treats, and nutrition. Most of our staff have dogs and cats and their years of experience makes a difference when it comes to customer service.
We want to be the alternative to Amazon. Need dog food but we don’t stock it? Looking for a toy or treat that we don’t have? Bring in the info and we may be able to get it for you. Why drive miles or wait weeks to get what you’re looking for when it might be available right here in town.
Oh, and most of all, spread the word that we’re here! We’re tucked away on Lincoln Street, and not in the center of town, but we’re easy to get to and our service is second to none!