Lindsey and Justin Meier are not only Nevis High School sweethearts, but also pet lovers.
In May 2023, they opened Tilly’s Pet Supply in Park Rapids.
“We’ve dreamt of doing this for a long time,” she said.
The store is currently located at 203 2nd St. W., but will soon move to its new location. In May 2024, it will be situated next to Ecowater Systems on the third block of Main Ave.
They plan to expand their inventory when they move into the bigger space. It will be more than twice the store’s current size.
They will also be adding a dog wash station.
“Right now, we have freshwater tropical fish,” she said. “That’s been the biggest part of our business. We sell a lot of the livebearers.”
Lindsey isn’t a fan of guppies – “because they’ve inbred them now to get pretty colors, and they’re very finicky” – but they do sell mollies and the swordtails. “Just the ones that kids love.” She adds, “The plants are a big deal because we’ve got the live, aquatic plants.”
Tilly’s Pet Supply not only sells fish and fish supplies, but also caters to reptile, canine, feline and other small animal owners.
Lindsey has dedicated her career to pets. She’s particularly fond of the English springer spaniels that she breeds, including the one that bears the store’s name. She previously worked at the Headwaters Animal Shelter and owned Dog Gone Organic Grooming.
“All of our foods and stuff, I’m really particular about what we carry. I do research before we get stuff in. I won’t carry just anything,” she said. “We have things that people have heard of before, but there’s a lot of things that people haven’t heard of, and I think they're the best thing on the market.”
The Meiers have been married for 19 years, and they have a son. Justin graduated from Nevis in 2005, while Lindsey graduated in 2007.
