Everyone has dreams, but very few people chase their dreams down and make them happen with the grit and determination of this trio. Meet Lauri Means, her mother Jane Zimmerman, and partner Cindy Kreinbrook of Animal House, in Connellsville, Pa.
Cindy and Jane had toiled away in a K-Mart for about 18 years and were more than ready for a change. Lauri has her hands full--as president of Tom and Jerry's Home Medical Supply and as a real estate agent-- but she too shared the vision of a friendly, full-service neighborhood pet store.
Now open for 14 months and loving it, they're glad they let nothing come between them and their collective dream. They're already setting their sights on a second store in nearby Mt. Pleasant in the not-so-distant future. Lauri even has plans in the back of her mind to franchise the operation.
"I love it. I enjoy the animals and I enjoy the atmosphere," Lauri said, noting that the people are friendlier and more fun to be around than in other retail and service environments.
Lauri said all the tasks and preparations "just sort of fell into place," and there were no unsurmountable obstacles to overcome. For instance, Jane spent a great deal of time and energy pressure washing 40 feet of sales counters, a chore she'd never done before, but accomplished with equal parts determination and flair. In the scheme of things, Lauri's mother Jane is the store manager, Cindy works the sales floor, and Lauri in is the back doing the accounting. They also use five part-time employees to round out the staff.
Currently, Jane is recuperating from having her left knee replaced, the result of those 18 years on concrete floors at K-Mart. Lauri reports she's recovering nicely and is looking forward to getting back to work.
What trends are you seeing? Lauri said they're selling more and more dog items, while bird sales are dropping off somewhat. "And we still sell quite a few fish," Lauri said.
Billboards Tell the Story
To boost sales, Animal House uses one form of media most pet stores don't-billboards. They use two-one on Rt 119 and one on Rt 31 in Mt Pleasant. They're pleased with results so far. They also use radio and the local paper. It's all part of the strategy to become a fixture in the community.
"We want to be community based-that's our focus." Lauri said.