The owner of a pet store celebrating its 30th anniversary has explained how his business is thriving despite big brand competition.
Victor Brobyn opened the Pet Shop in Sittingbourne High Street in April 1994 and has been a hallmark of the town centre ever since.
They sell all kinds of animals including bearded dragons, rabbits and birds as well as a range of pet products.
These are all things that can be found in nearby Pets at Home in Sittingbourne Retail Park and local supermarkets.
However, Pets at Home in Sittingbourne Retail Park and supermarkets, which Victor says are his biggest competitors in terms of pet food, also provide a similar product range.
But, Victor says it’s his staff that makes people keep coming back to his family-run business different.
He said: “It’s our expertise which we have built over the thirty years which keeps customers coming back.
“Our staff go on training courses to get a basic knowledge of animals and animal care and you can’t beat that.
“People even come in here to ask for veterinary advice.
“We have to be niche as well as the supermarkets take most of our trade as they sell a lot of food.”
The 76-year-old had started his venture into the pet market in 1982 in Faversham with his wife Valerie.
Victor and Valerie, who have been married for 52 years, were originally from London where they had worked for an Arts and Crafts agency.
The couple moved to Sittingbourne in the 1970s to start a business and work for themselves.
They had bought the lease of 120 West Street in Faversham which had been selling seeds for £20,000 and transformed it into Gulliver's pet shop. They were in the store for 21 years before selling the business in 2003.
“We had no clue what we were doing to start off with,” Victor said, “but we got to know what customers needed and built the business from there.
“Since we opened the pet trade has increased in turnover and quality over the years and its become a lot more professional.”
One of the changes Victor points out is the demand for natural food products.
These include rabbit ears, chicken necks, pig snouts and lamb throats and have become one of the businesses’ best sellers.
Victor puts this down to pet owners being more conscious of what they are feeding their furry friends.
Other popular products are food, bedding and accessories.
The store is also embracing social media, Victor says, to help advertise the business.
He said: “We have to move with the times and it is massive now so we have to let people know we are here and that we want them to come back.
“We still get people who have lived here all their lives who say to us they didn’t know we are here despite being in a prominent part of the High Street.
“But we are really getting to grips with it now.”
Such has been the success of The Pet Shop that they have now opened a new branch in Rainham, run by Victor’s daughter Liz Brobyn-Ross.
The store was opened on Saturday, January 27 and is located at unit 15c Rainham Shopping Centre.
This unit had been vacant since March last year when The Bookmark, which had been there for 31 years, shut.
While the new shop is based on the model set by the Sittingbourne branch it does not sell animals due to the size of the lot.
