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Owner:
Mike Hoffer
Management:
◦Joe
◦Rob
◦Eric
◦Ken |
Fish Dept.:
Joe
Rob
Mikie
LuAnn
Dawn
Pete
Tami |
Small Animals:
Teresa
Kari
Danyale |
Reptile Dept.:
Eric
Pete |
Bird Dept.:
Ken |
Front Counter:
Ken
Teresa
Kari
Kimmy
Danyale |
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 Mike
Hoffer
Owner and creator of Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets gives us a sneak peek
into what makes his life and his store so rewarding.
Mike started out as a hobbyist at age 13-14 with a secret plan to own his
own pet store. He realized his dream in 1972 with his first store
opening at 4925 W. Center St. with 600 sq ft and a dream.
When asked what his specialty is, Mike tells us that reptiles, fish and
ponds all fight for first place.
With no educational background focused on his dream, Mike has created the
most unique "pet store" using only his personal experience and the help
of the experienced people he has employed over the years.
Mike's favorite pet is the tortoise and at home he keeps a variety of
pets including cats, dogs, fish and a turtle.
Mike tells us that his favorite part of the job is in greeting the
customers and in chatting with them. He tells us how some of them he
hasn't seen in years, yet it's an awesome experience when he remembers
them by name. Mike loves how he can "blow them away" with the store's
size and high caliber of staff that he employs.
When asked about the worst part of his job, Mike says, " I would say that
we must all look at life with no negatives, look at each day with only
challenges to overcome. Is the glass 1/2 full or 1/2 empty?"
When not taking care of his business Mike is an avid Harley Davidson fan,
and loves to travel and participate with the various Harley events.
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Joe has been with Hoffer's
Tropic Life Pets for 21 of the past 24 years and has been an avid fish
keeper for over 30 years. His training, education, and knowledge base
are extensive. When the new building was constructed, Mike Hoffer chose
to reward him by putting his name in lights. You can see the neon sign,
"Joe's Fish Room" hung proudly every time you walk through the southern
entrance of the fish room.
Besides his B.S. in Aquatic Biology (UWM 1978), Joe has attended Dr.
Gratzek's Fish Disease Workshop at the University of Georgia in 1985,
has had involvement in Tetra University, has been invited to speak at
the Backer Show, had lived overseas for 17 years and collected & kept a
wide variety of herps (reptiles/amphibians), insects, and fish that were
native to local areas. Joe continues to attend seminars and training
classes even today.
Former job experience as store manager at Docket Pet Center from 1978 -
1980 and store manager/regional supervisor of Animal Crackers from 1997
- 1999 only add to his expertise.
Joe today has an extensive collection of pets at home, including: 6 dogs
(5 of them sled dogs), 3 cats, 1 rex rabbit, 2 sulcata tortoises, and 2
uromastyx mali lizards. In the past he has also kept/raised: birds,
snakes, various lizards, aquatic turtles and tortoises.
Outside of the fish room, Joe can be found helping in the reptile
department and the bird department at Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets.
When asked what his favorite animal was, Joe's response was one simple
word, "Koi". Joe further states that his favorite part of his job is,
"knowing we're at the top of our industry, and having the freedom to
utilize my knowledge & expertise to make Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets what
it is today."
When interviewed, Joe was asked to give us his least favorite part of his
job, and it was pretty direct and to the point. One of the key points he
made was "having to constantly pick up after all of the slobs that share
this building." His other open complaint was "having to deal with
ignorant people." With these two statements in mind, we can see why Joe
works so hard to maintain the highest of standards with his employees,
and puts them through such rigid training programs.
When asked to brag about something, Joe came up with a few prides,
including his involvement in the evolution of Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets,
but his overall #1 brag was his son, Jay.
Joe's little bits of free time are spent enjoying his various hobbies
such as riding his new Harley Davidson motorcycle, sea kyaking,
woodworking, carpentry, photography, cross country skiing/snowshoeing,
playing his guitar, cooking, and building vintage military aircraft
models.
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ROB
AKA
"Dr. Rob"
Aquatic Biologist
Here at Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets we are proud to brag that we have one
of the best in fish medicine available anywhere. Equipped with his own
microscope and the facilities the store provides, Rob is often found
helping on the most technical of diseases and cures for the fish. Over
the past 6 years, Rob has made his home at Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets,
and is our Marine Dept. Manager, and Assistant Manager of the Fish Room.
With a B.A. in Aquatic Ecology and Spanish, job experience with the DNR
Fish Hatchery in the state of Michigan, and courses in Animal
Physiology, Ecology Theory & Methods, Limnology, Comparative Anatomy,
Invertebrate Zoology, Ichthyology, Algology, Organic Chemistry, Physics,
and much more, Rob surely is a wealth of information to the store and
it's customers. To add to his list of knowledge and experience, Rob also
specializes in aquarium lighting & design, and is the person responsible
for designing our Salt Water Tide Pool here at Hoffer's Tropic Life
Pets. Rob also spent some time living in Australia where he tried his
hand with some lizard keeping to add to his many skills.
In his spare time, Rob enjoys his position as Chairman of the Milwaukee
Aquarium Society's B.A.P. (Breeder Award Program), his own personal reef
keeping (with more species of animal than we can comfortably list here),
hunting, and fishing.
We asked about his pets at home, and Rob's answer was a quick, "fish,
fish, and more fish!" When asked about his favorite animal, Rob
confessed to a favorite coral he keeps in his tank, Acropora tortuosa
otherwise known as a Blue Staghorn Coral.
During his interview, we asked Rob about his favorite part of his job.
Happily, he informed us that "getting in new animals and learning about
them" was his favorite part of all. Rob's least favorite part of his job
was said to be "the many people who come to ask for his help yet fail to
heed his warnings and follow his advise." This appears to be Rob's
biggest frustration due to his never ending desire to help others and
their pets.
Rob's biggest pride is his accomplishment with one of the first
officially recorded spawnings of Centromochlus Perugiae (Yellow Leopard
Cat). Down on the list from there, Rob boasts to his skills in mental
health where his friends are concerned, and the fact that each day "I
can remember my name!"
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Eric has been with
Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets for 10 years (since 1994) and is the manager
for the reptile department. Besides his management duties, Eric stays on
top of things by attending seminars and reptile shows regularly. Among
these, his most memorable are the PIJac Reptile Certification Seminar, a
seminar with Fy Park, and a personal meeting with Philippe de Vosjoli
where he was able to inverview and get advice from Philippe.
Eric has been keeping reptiles most of his life, his favorite the carpet
python. During his interview, Eric told of how this was his first "real
snake", and also the first he ever bred. His next favorite of the snakes
is the Rhinoceros viper.
When asked about his own private collection of reptiles, Eric listed a
pair of Dumerils Boas, 3 western hognose snakes, a rough scaled sand
boa, 2 Hog Island Boas, a Melanistic Thayeri Kingsnake, an Argentine
Boa, 1 leopard gecko, 2 whites tree frogs, 1 waxy monkey frog, a pair of
bearded dragons and a crested gecko.
When asked about his favorite part of his job, Eric stressed his love
for working with the animals, besides meeting new people and helping his
customers make their reptile experience as pleasurable as his own. While
finding his job rewarding, Eric also states that he dislikes having to
clean up after other people's messes and having to look for things
because they weren't put back where they belong. Eric's other complaint
was about the lack of knowledge he's noticed about the "herp world", and
does his best to help change that each time he offers help to his
customers at Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets.
When not working in the reptile department, Eric enjoys heavy
metal/hardcore metal music, going to music festivals & concerts, playing
frisbee golf, hiking, camping, and just hanging out with friends.
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Ken has been with Hoffer's
Tropic Life Pets for the past 6 yrs (since 1998) and is the manager of
our dog and bird departments. Ken came to us from his own pet store,
owned for over 20 years.
Ken is a professional dog trainer with 35 years of experience. With 2
years of college at Pace College in New York studying business, and the
20+ trade shows he's attended, seminars and other training programs over
the years, Ken is surely a wealth of resources to our store and all of
our customers. Ken has been invited as a guest speaker for schools,
birthday parties, in house seminars, and is in charge of our in-store
seminars on the dog and bird topics. Ken can also be found helping in
all of our other departments when needed.
At home Ken continues with his love for the animals, boasting with pride
over his dog (9 yr old Akita/Chow mix named Tango), 2 cats (1 yr olds,
Cheetah & Boots), 2 turtles (6 yr old Orville & Mr. T, painted and red
eared slider), and a 135 gal saltwater aquarium.
Ken's favorite part of the job is sales, but he confesses, he doesn't
see it as selling. Ken views his sales as education for our customers in
the things they need to best care for their beloved pet.
While Ken is realistic and believes that not every customer will always
be happy, his least favorite part of the job is in seeing those who are
not. Customer satisfaction is something Ken strives for at all times.
Ken says he can't imagine life without a dog, and tells us for certain
that dogs are his most favorite pet.
When not hard at work, Ken enjoys bowling, fishing, & hunting, but
states that his biggest pride is the college graduation of his 2 sons.
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Mike
aka
Mikie
Mike has been with Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets for the past 9 years. While
Mike can be found primarily in the Fish Room, he is often seen at the
front counter helping customers with most any need. With 20 years of
fish keeping (specialty in cichlids and native fishes), Mike also tells
us that he has kept nearly every kind of pet sold at Hoffer's Tropic
Life Pets, so his knowledge base is extensive and comes from personal
experience as much as from training.
During Mike's interview he confessed to us that his favorite and least
favorite part of the job were one and the same. While his favorite part
of the job is working with the customers, watching them succeed and
enjoy the hobby as much as he does, Mike mentions those who spend too
much time worrying that he's simply trying to "make a sale" when he is,
in fact, trying to help resolve their problems to see them become more
successful. He understands the doubt, but wishes to remind his customers
that we're not just "any pet store". Our job at Hoffer's Tropic Life
Pets is to help you to be successful, and to share the fun and rewards
involved with keeping a pet.
While Mike's overall favorite animal is the ferret, due to their
carefree attitude (they eat, sleep, and do what they want), Mike's
current list of pets includes what he terms a "mentally challenged" dog,
and 1 aquarium where he keeps his prized native fish. In the past Mike
has bred many species of African Cichlids and South American Cichlids.
When not working at Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets, Mike can be found fishing
& hunting, while looking for other activities that involve blowing
things up. He also expressed a dislike for extremists such as PETA and
those he referred to as "tree huggers".
Mike's pride, when asked, was a lot more pleasant. "I am proud that I
have stuck with a job in spite of it's challenges and drawbacks, such as
lower pay, simply due to it's sheer enjoyment. It's one thing to say
that money isn't everything, but another thing to actually live the
statement and stay happy. So far I have done that."
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LuAnn
LuAnn has been a member of Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets staff since 1997
and is a valued member of the fish room staff. Besides the fish room,
LuAnn can be found helping in the small animal department, bird
department, and dogs & cats.
With a Bachelor's of Science in Biology (UWM 1993) LuAnn is an important
member of the Hoffer's team. State board certified vet tech. (July 1994)
and experience at Animal Emergency Center as well as private practice
vet clinics, LuAnn can help our customers receive the absolute best in
care.
When not working in the fish room, LuAnn can often be seen leading the
tours through the store, teaching our children and even the teachers &
parents. Her extensive knowledge base helps to make the team at Hoffer's
Tropic Life Pets one of the most recognized teams of "experts" across
the country in animal care and customer service.
At home, LuAnn has kept fish aquariums most of her life. Currently her
list of pets includes 7 aquariums, 2 hamsters, 1 snake, 1 dog, 1 senegal
parrot, and shared custody of a sulfer crested cockatoo named Boo.
When asked about her favorite part of her job, LuAnn tells us that she
finds the most pleasure in helping the customers to be successful in
their new hobby. The least favorite part of the job is in dealing with
the loss of life, which helps to motivate her further to help prevent
it.
LuAnn confesses to us that as much as she loves her dog and fish, horses
are still her #1 passion in the animal world.
Professionally, LuAnn's biggest pride outside of Hoffer's is her
involvement with the photo shoots for All-Glass Aquariums and Python
Products for their advertising photos.
In her free time, LuAnn is a big Harley Davidson fan.
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Dawn
I am your web mistress here at Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets. I also work
alongside of the others in the store, primarily in the fish room. I have
been at Tropic Life Pets for almost 5 years now, and can't imagine ever
going anywhere else. I can sometimes be found helping in reptiles, and
even small animals. Over the years I have either raised, bred, or
rescued most of the different kinds animals we encounter in our store.
While I have no formal education in this industry, there is a lot to be
said for independent education and experience. I have read most of the
books in our store's library by now, and paged through others. I have
had hands on experience with fish since I was about 8 and won my first
goldfish at a county fair. I have been catching reptiles and amphibians
since I was old enough to chase them, and raised many of the class pets
over the years. From the hermit crab in preschool to the salamanders in
the 4th grade, to the garter snakes in high school, I've worked with and
studied everything I can find, and continue to do so with the help of
the staff at Hoffers.
Hoffer's is where I received all of my formal training. I grew up in the
pet store industry. My mother had friends who worked in and/or owned pet
stores, bird breeders, and many of the veterinarians in the area. All
were people I saw and learned from regularly. I was raised in a home
that always had multiple pets. Currently in my home I have 8 active
aquariums running, freshwater and salt water, 5 bettas, a pair of red
eared slider turtles, my daughter's 3 ft ball python, a harlequin macaw,
and I must make mention of my dearest pet, recently lost to pneumonia,
my 18 foot burmese python, Slither. She is dearly missed. She started
out as a 1 ft baby from Hoffer's 9 1/2 years ago. (yes, it can be done
if it's done right and with love)
My favorite part of the job is teaching. I love to teach anyone who's
willing to listen, and my regular customers have commented at times that
my passion for the fish is contagious. I find this encouraging, and hope
that my work to educate helps to ensure not just happy customers, but
happy and healthy pets.
If asked about the worst part of the job, I have to think about
something that happened at work tonight. It happens too often. The worst
part is in fighting back the tears and the anger that I always feel when
someone wishes to harm one of our precious animals due to neglect, lack
of education, lack of receptiveness to the offered education, and/or the
opinion that it's "just a fish". I wonder at people in general
sometimes, and the lack of respect I see for helpless animals that rely
on us to care for them properly. That is why I strive to be the best
teacher Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets can offer.
When not at work I enjoy website and graphics design work, (yes, I'm a
computer geek) photography (yes, I photograph fish more than anything
else), board and word games, the local zoos, hanging out at a lake
somewhere feeding the fish, or out enjoying nature somehow.
I can't claim to have a favorite animal because I can't say I have found
one yet that I dislike. I can begin to list some of my favorites
beginning with fish of many different species, snakes, lizards,
amphibians, birds, and a few mammals, such as orcas, dolphins, and etc.
As I said, it's impossible to name just one. Due to allergies I can no
longer keep fuzzy animals for pets, but I still find ways to enjoy and
study them.
The magic at Hoffer's isn't in the store itself, but in the people who
work there and work with our customers and animals daily. I believe we
give the most valuable gift of all... an education. Once you learn
something, you never un-learn. I work at Hoffer's because when I'm here,
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Pete
Pete joined the staff of Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets in March of 2003.
Pete worked at another pet store for 3 years prior to Hoffer's, so came
to us with experience and understanding of how the industry works.
Pete began his job at Hoffer's working in the fish room, and has since
been recruited to our reptile department. You will still find him in the
fish room when the reptile department can spare him.
Pete has an Associates Degree from UW-Sheboygan and is currently
pursuing a degree in zoology at UWM.
Having kept a variety of reptiles and amphibians of his own since age 5,
Pete admits that he was fond of keeping anything he could catch.
Currently Pete has a collection of various frog and toad species, and
says that reptiles and amphibians are his personal strength, and he
continues to spend too much of his money on his "critter keeping" hobby.
When asked about what he likes most about his job at Hoffer's, Pete
confesses that tending to the animals is his favorite, but right behind
that is the satisfaction he gets from helping customers to be successful
with their new pets. Pete was happy to brag about the number of animals
he gets to work with and the variety, which is greater than any other
establishment around.
Pete's overall favorite animal is the frog, regardless of species. Pete
tells us that he is forever on the lookout for new and unusual
specimens, and finds joy in keeping and breeding whatever he can.
When not on the sales floor, Pete finds pleasure in his personal
competition going on among friends to see who can accumulate the most
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Teresa
Teresa has been a member of the Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets staff for 3
1/2 years in the Small Animal Department and at the front counter.
Teresa has had dogs, cats, small animals, and even some reptiles in her
life, and can answer most general questions for you. At present, Teresa
has a 4 yr old Australian Shepherd named Charlie and dwarf hampsters.
Teresa's favorite animal is the chinchilla, and says that they are a
great pet for anyone.
Keeping all of the animals clean is Teresa's least favorite part of her
job, but admits that watching the baby animals grow and change every day
is her favorite. The close interaction the staff has with it's animals
through maintenance and cleaning has it's rewards.
Teresa's goal here at Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets is to see the customers
happy with their choice of pet, and to see the pets happy and healthy in
their new homes.
Outside of her job at Hoffer's, Teresa occupies her time with her
cherished daughter and husband, and keeps a collection of care bears
alongside of her NASCAR memorabilia and the 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger that
she is working hard to restore.
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Kari
Kari has been with Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets since October of 1987.
During her many years there, Kari has had a chance to experience the
rewards of each of our departments. While many of the senior staff
members and management were a part of creating our current building,
Kari probably has spent the most hours helping to put things together
from the ground up. Most of Kari's time these days is spent at the front
counter helping to lend a hand to our customers about care needs for any
pet, and helping to direct them to areas of the store that they need for
their specific needs.
Kari is also often found leading our tours through the store for the
many school and scout groups that come in to learn something new and
exciting. Kari deals regularly with teachers and classroom situations by
taking care of our Aquademics program. Aquademics is an educational
program designed to take pets into the classrooms to enhance the
learning of the teachers AND their students together.
At home Kari keeps a variety of pets, including 4 cats, 1 dog, a salt
water aquarium (which she claims is now her favorite) and is working on
breeding lizards.
Kari says that of all animals, cats remain her favorite. Kari remembers
at age 12 having earned the privilege of raising 2 day old kittens as
being her most memorable experience.
When asked what her favorite part of her job would be, Kari teases about
going home after a long and tiring day, but says that working with the
school tours brings her the most pleasure during her days. The worst
part of Kari's job is in having waited so long for a raise. This only
goes to show the dedication that Kari shows us in her work with the
customers and their animals.
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Danyale
Danyale has been with Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets for 3 years. When you
visit Hoffer's, Danyale can be found in the small animal department, at
the front counter, and from time to time she's seen helping to lend a
hand in the fish room, where she prides herself on her personal
experience and knowledge base having been mostly obtained on the job
through working with the rest of the Hoffer's staff.
Danyale is known through the store for her senses of humor and hard
work. This is someone truly dedicated to making sure the animals are
taken care of in the best way possible, and in helping to teach her
customers to do this at home for their own pets. During her interview,
Danyale points out to us that "without the animals there would be no
store".
Danyale has studied Anatomy & Physiology, including cat dissection.
Danyale keeps her own personl pets at home, including her pet rat
(Quagmire), 2 bettas (Redd & Dusty Baker), a dog named Quincy, and her 2
cats, Sage & Pinky. Danyale admits that much of her fish and aquatic
knowledge has been obtained right at the front counter, and is often
found quizzing herself regularly as things are purchased.
When asked about her favorite part of the job, Danyale says "the animals
are why I work here". While her least favorite part of the job is the
dirty & smelly cage cleaning that everyone dreads, Danyale admits that
to choose one favorite animal isn't possible because she "loves them
all!"
When not on the job, Danyale can be found hanging out with friends and
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Kimmy
AKA
Miss Kim
Kimmy has worked at Hoffer's Tropic Life Pets for 17 years, starting at
the age of 12. During this time, Kimmy has worked in each department of
the store, even having been seen catching a feeder fish or 2 when the
store is busy. Kimmy's main stations are the front counter and small
animals, taking time out to plan and host the famous "Hoffer's Tropic
Life Pets Birthday Parties".
When asked what experience Kimmy has brought to her job here at
Hoffer's, she had this to say: "To the front counter I have brought my
smile. I think it is important to greet each customer with a smile when
they approach the front counter. I have also brought my experience of
working in the store. Working at the front counter requires that you
have a general knowledge about all of the animals that we sell. To the
small animal department I have brought several years of experience of
keeping the kinds of animals in that department. I have had many of the
animals as pets in my home at one time or another. Finally, to the
birthday parties I have brought my knowledge of all the different
animals, and combined that with the understanding I have about the way
children learn. I have had lots of experience with children through
obtaining my degree in Elementary Education at the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I would also have to say that I have brought my
sense of humor and silliness to the parties.
In other departments I have had experience with keeping fish, reptiles
and birds. Also, working at Hoffer's, I am surrounded by individuals
that are experts in a variety of different areas. Over the years I have
learned a great deal from listening to them and asking questions."
Alongside of her degree in Elementary Education, Kimmy has taken courses
in communication and small business management. Kimmy has attended
seminars on Animals in the Classroom and Retail Business, and during the
past 15 years Kimmy has been attending pet industry trade shows and
store seminars given by manufacturer representatives.
While Kimmy says that the nightly closing tasks for the store such as
sweeping, mopping, and taking out the garbage are her least favorite
parts of the job, she finds it worthwhile because she knows that all of
these things are important.
Kimmy's favorite part of her job is in working with the customers and
the children. In hosting the birthday parties she is able to see how
happy the animals make the kids, and the smiles they put on all of the
kid's faces. Kimmy says the birthday parties are the most challenging
part of her job, but also the most rewarding.
Kimmy's overall favorite animal is cats! While Kimmy only remembers a
short period of time in her life where she hasn't owned a cat, she says
that there will never be another without. At home currently Kimmy has 3
cats (Shutzie, Little R, and Liberty) and a bearded dragon (Dusty).
Kimmy has personal pets kept at the store that include a rabbit (Sonny
Bunny), a rat (Macy), a parakeet (Sky), a cockroach and a millipede.
These animals kept at the store are the stars of the birthday parties.
When not working hard at Hoffer's, Kimmy loves to spend time with family
and friends. Whether it's hanging out at home with her fiancé or
relaxing at her sister's house, as long as Kimmy is with the people she
loves, she's happy. Her other favorite hobby is "froggin" at her mom's
camper. (looking for frogs)
When asked about her proudest moments in her life, Kimmy had this to
say: "I am very proud of a lot of things in my life. I am proud to be a
daughter, a sister, an Auntie Kimmy, a fiancé, a teacher, a friend, and
a co-worker. I am very proud of myself for graduating college,
especially since there was a time that I didn't think I was going to
make it through high school. I am proud of the gifts I have been given
in life, like my ability to be able to connect with kids. Another gift
that I have been given in life has been in being a part of the pet
store. I take great pride in working at the pet store and in bearing the
Hoffer name. I love having people associate my last name with the pet
store because it makes me proud when a person says to me, "Hoffer? Are
you related to the pet store? I really love that store... it is my
favorite pet store."
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