Event Turns Store Into Zoo (in a Good Way)

Regular customers to Klem’s know the store is a great place to buy any pet products they may need, but for a few days last spring, it was the place to see some animals, too.

A local traveling zoo that spends summers at different events was set up in the field next to the store in Spencer, Massachusetts. The zoo offered animals for petting, pony and camel rides, a giant slide, refreshments and more. It was the third year for Klem’s to host the event.

“They approached us a few years ago about setting up the zoo by our store,” says Jessica Bettencourt, president of Klem’s. “We thought about it and decided to give it a try. It turned one of our busiest days into a top 10 day in sales that year.”

Now, if the weather is good, the zoo stays busy, she says. Plenty of moms and kids visit during the day and families visit in the evenings, and many of those visitors head into the store to do some shopping.

The event is very little work for Klem’s staff, Bettencourt says, because the zoo gets all necessary permits ahead of time and handles all setup, teardown and cleaning.

“Animals are very well-cared for, and the zoo takes good care of our field that they use,” she says. “It’s kept very clean—when they leave, you’d never have known they were there.”