It all started as a simple metal farm shed on South Walnut Street. Terry Hays, his wife and her brother, Ted, sold produce, antiques and garden seed at the then 20-by-40-foot building, creating what would eventually become T&T Pet Food and Supply.
The transition from a seed and feed store to a pet supply store came by the way of bird seed.
“We had garden seed and antiques and people would come in and the antiques weren’t worth a dang,” Terry Hays said. “You would just have conversation, no sale. Produce was sales and you’d throw half of it away, so we had get away from that. The garden seed, over time the next generation would want to plant a garden but they didn’t know how, so we were selling 15-cent bulbs and having a 10-minute conversation, and that wasn’t profitable either. We kind of evolved into bird seed and one brand of dog food, Sensible Choice.”
Terry and his then-wife, LeAnn, purchased Ted’s share of the business and moved forward, homing in on what they were selling to remain profitable.
“We kind of figured out what was making us money, so (that was) bird seed and dog and cat food, and we trickled up the ladder from there,” said Hays, who purchased his ex-wife’s share of the business in May.
The business has flourished for 47 years, focusing primarily on canine and feline food. Now, at 4,500 square feet, the building is filled with treats, food, leashes, toys, beds and more for furry friends and a personal touch for humans that is hard to beat.
Customers are welcomed into the business with a smile and a greeting from workers, Mercedes Francois, Clay Grumieaux, or the 72-year-old owner himself. Shop cats, Momma and Kenny, also welcome customers by rubbing their bellies on the counter and begging to be petted. Employees ask the customers if they need anything, and the floodgates of conversation open from there.
“They come in and say ‘my dog is eating this, he’s been doing that, and we can’t figure out why,’” Francois said. “It’s up to us to put the puzzle pieces together and help them. Just getting to see them a week later and say that really helped is the biggest spirit booster.”
The locally-owned business is constantly competing with online and larger stores when it comes to selling pet food, but they focus on the quality of the products they sell, and the experience that comes with shopping at a local store that sets them apart. Workers will hoist the sometimes 50 pound bags of food to the register and then to your car. They also provide returns if a food does not agree with your animal and will swap for something that might.
“That is what is keeping afloat,” Francios said. “People come in here out of curiosity and then they are met with not simply just ‘welcome to T&T, have a good day,’ but more of a conversation of ‘tell us about your dog, what is your dog been having, what would you like to accomplish’ and that is not what they’re getting at the big box store and they are never going to get that online. That’s what gets people to come back. Sure they may get a buck cheaper online, but they’re not getting us as a part of the package with the store.”
T&T prides itself on providing quality food with owner Hays often attending pet food conferences and communicating with retailers about the food.
“The number one advice that we tell everybody that walks in is to look at your ingredients,” Francois said. “An ingredient panel is going to tell you so much more than the advertisement in the front. A lot more people are becoming more aware of what is going into their body, as well as what is going into their pet’s body.”
The store offers over 30 brands of dog food, varying in multiple flavors from chicken liver to salmon and in forms such as canned, raw, dehydrated and standard kibble. They also provide food and treats for cats, birds and more.
Samples of pet treats and new products that may help your pet with any digestive issues are common inside the store.
“I just love coming here,” a customer said as she walked out the door after purchasing some chew toys for her puppy Wednesday.
With the age of the business, it spans generations for some customers that have been visiting the store for over 20 years.
“We’re just grateful for what we’ve been able to hang onto because we know its competitive,” Hays said. “We are just really grateful for what we have and the customers we have.”
