Where pets are as important as plants

When Chalet Nursery customers walk by Kazoo, he’ll often say, “Thank you.” Or, if they inquire whether the African Gray Parrot can speak, he’ll repeat their “Does the bird talk?” and “What does the bird say?” phrases, answering their questions.

The 14-year-old bird has a 250-word vocabulary and is one of the ways Chalet, number 7 in our Top 50 Independent Garden Center list, sets itself apart from not only other independent garden centers, but other pet stores in the Chicago area.

The staff could be another reason people keep coming back to the Wilmette, Ill., store. Gabbie Roderer, a 25 year veteran of Chalet, has been a fixture in the Pet Essentials Department since the early ’90s, and is the manager and buyer for the category. Even Kazoo asks, “Where’s Gabbie?” when she’s not there.

This year, the approximately half-century-old Pet Essentials Department will account for about one-tenth of the garden center’s annual sales. That’s more than $1 million, a number that has steadily grown over the past few years, Roderer says.

She attributes the department’s success to several factors.

“Everything we have is all natural. We don’t carry anything that has byproducts or chemical preservatives,” Roderer says. “About 98 percent of the consumable products I have are made in the U.S.”

Chicago Magazine found the food selection so impressive that it gave Chalet an award for best pet food in its 2010 “Best of Chicago” issue.

There’s also a wide range of “the best products out there,” all made in the U.S. and Canada, Roderer says, including beds, 20 to 30 different varieties of food, 50 varieties of treats, toys, clothes, dog shoes and slippers, 30 varieties of shampoo, leashes, animal-themed artwork, crates and a pile of stuffed animals displayed near the front of the department. They carry products for dogs, cats, birds, gerbils, rabbits and more.

Roderer buys top-notch items and has extensive knowledge about each, but perhaps more importantly, she understands the love people have for their pets. She cared for a cat for 17 years, has kept several birds and has a 5-year-old pug.

“I want customers to walk away feeling they’ve had all their questions answered,” she says, noting her staff’s dedication. “This is a passion of mine. It’s not a job, and I just want my customers to feel they got the best service they possibly could have, and I want them to come back for more.”

To keep customers loyal and spread word about the department, Roderer hosts a variety of events throughout the year. “Spa days,” as she calls them, give customers a chance to pamper their furry friends, as Chalet offers complimentary nail clipping, teeth brushing and other services. They also offer animal CPR certification workshops. The largest event is the Howl-o-ween Pet Parade, a 10-year-old event that attracts 80 to 100 costume-clad pets.

“The pet department was Diane Stanton, the daughter of the original Larry Thalmann, Sr.’s brainchild,” Roderer says, speaking of Chalet’s founder. “She was into doing fashion shows for the pets. We’ve seen photographs of people dressing up their pets not in costume but actually in fashionable clothing, which is different than the pet parade we now have.”

But Roderer says the costumes get more creative and intricate each year.

“Someone made a wagon into a hot air balloon, and they had their little dog in a basket wearing a Dorothy costume with a sign that said, “There’s no place like home.”

So, the dog didn’t go as Toto?

“No, it wasn’t Toto. It was actually a little Havanese, which is a Cuban water dog. It wasn’t a Cairn terrier, which would have been really cute.”

Each pet leaves with a goodie bag stuffed with treats, shampoo, samples of dog food and more, and expenses for the parade, which remains a free event, range from $500 to $800.

“It doesn’t really promote any extra sales, but it definitely brings awareness to the pet department and the fact we have a retail pet store,” Roderer says. “It’s fun for the owners to participate in something with their dogs because a lot of people don’t have children, so the dogs are their pseudo children. It’s just a feel good event.”

This year Chalet is also launching photos with Santa, something they’ve offered for children for a number of years and are extending to all pets, not just dogs.

One of the vendors, Well Pet, is sponsoring the event along with Chalet, and will distribute treats and coupons.

Roderer says the events are one of the best aspects of her job, as well as “building relationships and building trust.” The most difficult is when people bring in their aging and sick pets to say goodbye to Roderer.

“Customers come to us with an awful lot of concerns. We do not have a vet on staff, and I don’t pretend to be a vet,” she says. “But we do help people with a lot of situations whether it’s nutrition or behavioral training. If we don’t have the answer, we find the answer for them.”

Photos by Michelle Simakis  /  Leash Photo by Robin Carlson