Struggling economy forces local pet store to close its doors

by Sarah Rice (srice@wsbt.com)

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George Blake gives a hug and kiss to

George Blake gives a hug and kiss to "Phat Girl". George helps run Ewert's Pet Store in Niles, which is closing its doors. (WSBT Photo)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: Oct 4, 2008 at 6:59 PM EST

Story Updated: Oct 7, 2008 at 10:51 PM EST

NILES -- It's been a family favorite in the community for 40 years. But employees at Ewert's Pet Shop in Niles will soon have to say goodbye to customers for good. Thanks to tough economic times, the store is preparing to go out of business.

"She holds on real good," said Ewert's Pet Shop employee George Blake as he looks at his favorite iguana.

But Blake will soon have to let go of "Phat Girl" for good. Thanks to tough economic times, Ewert's Pet Shop is preparing to close its doors.

Blake says as the cost of living goes up people are forced to spend less on their pets.

"And they're only buying what they need to maintain their present animals, like coming in and buying mice for their snakes and food for their dogs and cats, but that's it. And there's little markup or profit on food in a pet store. So we just aren't making enough to survive," said Blake.

But for others, buying pet food is simply too much. Blake says people have been dropping off their animals at the store.

"Somebody brought in a crocodile they couldn't afford to feed anymore and big snakes because they have buy a rat every week," said Blake.

Forty years ago, Blake's grandfather opened Ewert's — a business that was originally an appliance store with just one shelf of fish food.

"And that shelf became a couple more shelves," recalled Blake.

But now many of those shelves sit empty and the walls are covered in sale signs.

"We have customers that have been coming in crying and hugging us as they leave," said Blake.

Including Erin Easton. She's been coming into Ewert's since she was 12 years old.

"It's sad to see a place like this go because one of my friends worked here and we had been coming in here since we were kids. And it's just been a part of the community for such a long time and there's no other place like this in Niles," said Easton.

Local animal rescue groups say they've seen a significant jump in the number of abandoned animals. The Humane Society in Southwest Michigan now has a waiting list for those wanting to get rid of their pets.

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