BEAUMONT — The only exotic pet store in Beaumont is closing only three months after opening due to a dispute with a landlord.
Golden Triangle Pets and Exotics located in the Village Shopping Center on Concord has almost 300 animals that will now need a home. Lisa Broadway, Owner of the store, says the loss is heartbreaking.
“I've put everything I've got into my business. This is for my kids' future,” said Broadway. “This isn't just a pet store.”
Broadway operated the pet store in Vidor successfully for over three years before moving to the Village Shopping Center in May. She says the store's only been open for three weeks total since the move due to issues with air conditioning.
“This isn't the first, second or third time or the fourth time. The AC has gone out numerous times, the breaker box is not appropriately set up. The air condition has got leaks in it,” said Broadway.
The air conditioning at the store is currently broken for the sixth time. Broadway says the landlord fixed the AC every other time, but not this time.
“I'm about to lose everything because I can't afford to move anywhere. I definitely can't afford $1,300 to get the air condition fixed,” said Broadway. “These are things that should be the landlord's responsibility.”
A representative with Regional Properties, the management company for the Village Shopping Center, says per the lease agreement, It was never their responsibility to fix it, but they wanted to be helpful.
Three other stores in the shopping center have experienced the same issues with air conditioning, namely Roses and Family Dollar. Another organization in the shopping center, The Surviving Parents of Southeast Texas, wanted to help with fundraising, but Broadway says it's too late.
“I've already announced it on Facebook that I'm closing,” said Broadway. “The welfare of my animals is my top priority and I'm not keeping them in this environment any longer than I have to.”
We brought a thermometer to the store Friday morning that shows its 90 degrees in the store. Broadway had to move most of her furry animals into her RV for them to survive.
Broadway has invested over $280,000 into her business over time. While it's too late for her, she hopes something changed for other tenants.
“People work so hard and put everything they have into their businesses, and to have someone who has the has the capability to fix these problems, they need to be fixed,” said Broadway.
Friday afternoon our thermometer said it was 87 degrees inside the store which is perfect for the store's reptiles, but there were around 200 furry animals that couldn't withstand that heat and still needed homes.
Golden Triangle Pets and Exotics opened for the last time on Saturday from 12 PM to 7 PM. The store has officially closed.
