Business Spotlight

The Pet Place—Taking Care of Our Best Friends for 8 Years

Story by Sam Calhoun

If you have a pet question or need to find a specific type of pet food, toy, bedding, treat, cage or even clothing, the pet experts at The Pet Place are there to help, including, from left to right, manager Tina Stough, owner Madolyn Cearley, assistant manager Shannon Miller and employee Sam Butler. Photo by Sam Calhoun Pets are prolific in the High Country. You see dogs hiking with their owners on the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Greenway; cats greet you at neighbors’ doors; and birds squawk through nearby windows.

Pets become part of their families—a trend that The Pet Place Owner Madolyn Cearley said is increasing.

“So many people up here have cats and dogs—most have dogs. And now those dogs are looked at more as part of the family, so people are taking better care of them,” said Cearley. “It’s a new trend—people are taking better care of their pets. As people are becoming more aware of nutrition for themselves, they are becoming more aware of nutrition for their pets.”

Eight years ago, health-conscious pet owners had few options when it came to quality pet supplies. Boone’s only pet store had closed at the Boone Mall and many pet owners felt a void. One of those pet owners was Cearley, and between her and her friend, they had nine dogs and not a pet store in sight. Something had to be done.

Cearley is a Blowing Rock native and attended Watauga High School. She got married out of high school, started a family and worked at First Citizens Bank in Blowing Rock and then as the office manager of the Brass Exchange. She and a friend hatched a plan to open a store of their own. With her friend’s background in the pet industry and Cearley’s background in accounting, the duo opened The Pet Place at Shops at Shadowline in Boone. Established in August 2000, the store filled the niche in the pet supply market.

“We are the complete source for all your pet needs, except we don’t sell dogs or cats—we try to get people to adopt,” said Cearley, who bought out her partner in the store five years ago. “We try to have something for whatever kind of pet you may have.”

And Cearley isn’t kidding. The Pet Place carries pet toys; bedding; grocery supplies; foods for birds, dogs, cats and reptiles; treats; cages for birds, reptiles and dogs; aquariums; bird feeders; travel accessories, including backpacks for dogs; and, in the winter, clothing for pets. Although the store doesn’t sell dogs or cats, The Pet Place does sell freshwater fish, birds, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, chinchillas, ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and gerbils.
The Pet Place is the High Country’s complete source for all pet needs, but the store doesn’t sell dogs or cats in the hope that more people will adopt. Photo by Sam Calhoun
“We’re actually the only pet store in Ashe, Avery and Watauga that has animals,” added Cearley. “I think this store is a good thing for the community; it fills a need that pet owners in the High Country have.”

At first, the store was evenly split, with an equal amount of products for the wide spectrum of pets, but as time went on, The Pet Place became more specialized for dogs and cats.

“And we’ve tried to get in more American-made products as well,” said Cearley.
Now, as the sole owner of the business, Cearley gives a great deal of credit to her store’s manager Tina Stough and assistant manager Shannon Miller.

“[Stough and Miller] give great customer service and all my customers know and trust them,” said Cearley, who employs eight people. “We all try to treat customers like friends and treat them like we would want to be treated.”

Customers come in all shapes and sizes to The Pet Place. In addition to furry friends, The Pet Place serves college students, local families and vacationers.

“We see all ages and we wouldn’t be here if they didn’t come back,” said Cearley.

“My employees are great. They give accurate advice and proper information on all the products. If you treat people like family and give them a good product for their money, then they’ll come back.”

What a lot of people might not know, said Cearley, is that The Pet Place offers special orders. Just last week, a vacationer needed a special venison treat for her dog that The Pet Place staff had never heard of. After a few phone calls, the exact treat was in the mail to the store.

“A lot of people buy things in other states and can’t find them here, but if they’ll call me or stop by, I’ll find it for them. We’re always willing to see if we can find stuff for our customers,” said Cearley.

The Pet Place honors repeat customers with an annual customer appreciation sale two weeks before Christmas, and offers loyal customer cards that give discounts.
“We truly appreciate everybody who takes care of animals and shops with us. Without loyal customers, I wouldn’t be here,” added Cearley.

The Pet Place is located at 240 Shadowline Drive in the Shops at Shadowline in Boone. The store is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 828-268-1510.