LAURINBURG — Petsense may be a chain store, but they want it to feel like a family-owned business says store manager Chris Haas.
The store, which opened on Dec. 10 in the Walmart shopping center, wants its customers and employees to feel like family because according to Hass it creates a better experience for customers.
“We live and breathe customer service,” said Hass “If we treat you as family, you have a better shopping experience.”
The company fosters a family mentality is a monthly community day. Local groups like Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, clubs and other organizations are invited out to promote themselves to the community.
“We want to be involved in our community,” Haas said.
To that end the store also throws its support behind local rescues too. Petsense houses cats onsite that are available for adoption. Scotland County Humane Society is currently partnering with Petsense.
Petsense covers the cost of food and liter for its feline guests while sharing the care routine between volunteers from the shelter and store employees.
“[The shelters] have enough to worry about when it comes to money, so we try to help out with that,” said Haas.
The company does not host dogs onsite due to the amount of care they require; however, dogs are welcomed at the stores adoption events in the spring and fall. The store specializes in products for small animals like dogs, birds, cats, reptiles and fish. They also offer grooming.
“Our goal with adoptable pets is to find them a forever home,” Haas said “We want to grow the number of rescues we work with. We’re looking to help in any way we can.”
Petsense felt compelled to come to Laurinburg because it saw a need for a store in the area though pet stores have not typically flourished here in the past.
“We’ve done really well as a small box pet store in areas that don’t typically have pet stores around,” said Haas “And we hope this will help draw more businesses to Laurinburg.”
Like the big box pet stores Petsense welcomes four-legged customers who want to bring their pet parents shopping.
“We love to see the babies come in. It brightens our day when they come in the store,” Haas said.
