Emersons Pet Centre

Emersons Pet Centre are a proud family-owned business based in Felling. We’ve been serving our community since 1979, and over the years we’ve built a reputation for specialising in birds, small furries, and fish. Our love for animals and dedication to offering expert advice and quality care has always been at the heart of everything we do.

Paul and Joan Emerson started the business thanks in part to Paul’s lifelong interest in fishkeeping, starting from a little hexagonal fish tank he had as a child. From those humble beginnings, we have continued to grow over the last 45 years, with many of customers surprised to find out we have always been, and continue to be, a proud family owned and run shop rather than being part of a chain.

So when we first found out there was going to be a day dedicated to championing the independent pet retail industry, we were so excited! It was a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase who we are and what we do, and to shine a light on the important relationships we have with our loyal customers.

How we Celebrated

We went all out for National Pet Shop Day 2024. Our event included a face painter and a kids’ petting zone, which were a huge hit with families. We also ran special offers and giveaways, hosted online competitions to get our community involved, and even welcomed visitors from Cats Protection.

In the lead-up to the big day, we had so much fun creating a special window display using old newspaper archives from the 1980s. We had them enlarged at our local print shop and featured some proud moments from our history, including clippings congratulating Paul and Joan on winning ‘Sherleys Pet Centre Owners of The Year’ in 1991! The display drew loads of compliments and interest from passers-by, many of whom were amazed to discover the long legacy of our shop.

Our customers responded with real enthusiasm. The social media buzz was fantastic, and we saw a noticeable increase in interest from new customers too. The window display especially stirred up curiosity and connection – we even had customers asking if we’d be doing the event again next year!

Our plans for 2025

We’re absolutely planning to get involved in National Pet Shop Day 2025 – just as much as we possibly can! The success of this year’s event has inspired us to go even bigger next time. We’re already thinking about how we can make it an even better experience for everyone who visits.

Final thoughts

National Pet Shop Day was a brilliant initiative, and we’re so glad we took part. It gave us a fantastic platform to connect with our customers, meet new ones, and highlight the work we’re so passionate about. Sharing our family history added a special layer of meaning to the event, and it reminded us how proud we are of our roots. We can’t wait to do it all again!