Big Island Hawaii has lost another long-time local pet shop that catered for parrots and other birds. It seems that so many pet owners are now buying their supplies at the big box and chain stores, and that neighbourhood bird shops can hardly make enough to pay rising building rental costs.
In the past six to eight years, I have noticed the slowly fading business and even total closure of several exotic bird shoppes or pet shoppes which previously sold and stocked very well for pet psittacines, canaries, finches, etc. Some others in our county have been sold off when owners lost interest or could not make a strong go of it in the retail trade. Having watched the pet bird market closely for over thirty years, I am truly bothered by this trend.
Then a while ago, I talked with a friend on the US mainland who owns an exotic bird store, and he indicated to me that the hard work plus expense of keeping psittacines and other birds in top health and happiness, coupled with fierce new competition, has begun to take some of the lustre off owning his own bird outlet. "So many birds are now being offered on the Internet,” he noted. “And lots of breeders are selling more than ever to the public at the same wholesale prices they charge a store like ours. It makes it very difficult to compete, especially with the larger parrots.
The costs of optimally feeding and maintaining the birds are high, so routine sales of toys and supplies have a hard time carrying a shop financially.”
Having managed a fine exotic bird store in Santa Fe, New Mexico for over seven years, I realise how important loyal clients are to keeping such a business in the black – certainly in those smaller urban areas. That store had a national reputation and was in business for over three decades. It recently closed up shop and moved its supply business online when the owners decided to finally semi-retire.
This story is from the August 2017 edition of Parrots magazine.
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This story is from the August 2017 edition of Parrots magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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Parrot language issue
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