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Interview with Kevin Willyerd and Trey Campbell of Animal Ark - Atascocita

Interview with Kevin Willyerd and Trey Campbell of Animal Ark - Atascocita

Published: Nov 23, 2018, 1:00pm

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As part of our ongoing "Getting to Know Your Local Businesses" series, this week we sat down with Kevin Willyerd and Trey Campbell, partners of Animal Ark.

Tell us a bit about your business: What does your business offer, and how long have you been around?
Our customers can get up close and personal with cool animals from around the world. Offering reptiles (snakes, geckos, bearded Dragons, iguanas, and much more), exotics, small animals and fresh water fish, we are an independent, mom and pop, local pet store with live animals, pet supplies and pet service. In addition to offering food and supplies for these animals, we also have supplies for birds and offer live and frozen feeders and fish/aquatic plants.

How did you decide to get involved in this line of work? How did the business get started?

Kevin: I’m a serial entrepreneur and, in 1999, I found out that the owner/friend of the 4-year-old business was wanting to sell. Typically, I start businesses and then sell them. However, I love working with animals and pet owners; I decided that I just didn’t want to let go of this business.
Trey: I’ve always loved animals, especially as a child, and finally got into the exotic pet business in 2001. When I partnered with Kevin, I knew that I was back where I belong.

Tell us a couple things you are proud of about your business. What are you known for? What separates you from the competition?
With highly perishable inventory and stiff competition from retail chains and the internet, we are proud that we can consistently offer healthy live animals and operate our store efficiently to keep costs competitive for our customers. We also offer animals from local breeders.

What is your favorite part of running this business?
Kevin: I love that no two days are the same; every day is different.
Trey:  I love being around pet owners and the staff. “Pet people” tend to be really great people; they voluntarily take in animals, love and care for them – even when they don’t have to.

Who is your ideal customer/client? Who do you serve best?
Anyone that loves pets is our ideal customer. We offer all kinds of pets including dogs, cats, snakes, fish, rabbits, hamsters, tarantulas, ferrets, prairie dogs, guinea pigs and hedge hogs and the supplies to care for those pets.

Are there any special promotions, annual sales, or special events that you'd like to mention?
For the past three years, we have hosted the "Save the Snake" event where visitors can get hands-on with local wildlife, as well as learn about their habitat and behaviors. This festival event is all about busting myths and educating the public about native Texas wildlife. For event details, visit our Events page on Facebook.

We also offer frequent buyer plans for dogs and small animals, as well as an in-house loyalty program that offers customers a 3% rebate.

Is there any other information you'd like your potential customers/clients to know about your business?
With convenient hours, we do everything we can to make owning pets affordable. We have all the supplies necessary to keep pets healthy and happy, including foods, housing, treats and toys.  Plus, our staff care for the animals daily - they are knowledgeable and can answer questions. We also offer exotic pet boarding and pet grooming services.

How do you see your business growing and improving over the next couple of years?
Our expansion will be about trying new things, focusing especially on animal and supply expansion. We’ll also be focused on increasing the availability of fish - specifically doubling our selection of live fish. We hear from our customers that we are the “best kept secret” in Kingwood; we will continue to focus on not being a secret anymore. To learn more about where the pets are, visit https://www.facebook.com/AnimalArkKingwood/.




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