By Nancy Brumback, Contributing Writer
Worcester??”Bob and Mel Gibson are determined to provide whatever pet owners need. After welcoming dogs and cats for boarding, grooming, and doggie daycare at Gibson Kennels in Grafton since 2002, the Gibsons decided to add a retail location beyond the small shop at the kennel.
In 2011, they renovated a former tire warehouse on Route 122 in Worcester into Gibson's Natural Pet, a large, bright store stocked with over 6,000 food and pet care products, plus grooming and daycare services.
“If we don's have something you need, we can get it for you,” said Bob Gibson.
And the store's prices are competitive with??”and sometimes even lower??”than prices at the big pet care chains, he added. “Our staff can help customers understand the different products and find what they need.”
Now the products Gibson's Natural Pet carries are available to online shoppers as well, through the retail website, www.gnpets.com, designed and maintained by the Gibsons” oldest son, Michael, a college student concentrating in computer engineering. Online shoppers can have their order delivered to their homes or pick it up at the Worcester store or Grafton kennel. The younger two Gibson sons, David and Christopher, also help at the kennel and stores.
Frequent shoppers can join a rewards program that offers a point for each dollar spent and $10 off the next purchase when the shopper earns 300 points.
As the name implies, Gibson's Natural Pet carries only natural pet foods with no corn fillers, sweeteners or by-products. The wide variety includes frozen raw foods, and canned and dry foods in flavors from chicken to such exotic options as duck or bison and sweet potato. The Gibsons believe pet owners should be able to feed natural, healthy foods without “breaking the bank,” so they carry foods with a range of prices.
Shoppers are likely to be greeted by the store's two resident cats. Peaches, a white cockatoo, also lives at the store. Customers can browse row after row of pet-related items, including products for birds, fish, and small animals such as hamsters and rabbits.
For dogs, there are leashes, collars, and sweaters, and a huge assortment of toys and chew products. For cats, there are treats and catnip, scratching posts and climbing structures. And for all pets, there are travel cases, bowls, beds, and accessories.
The store carries pet-themed gifts for pet owners and a rack of greeting cards with pet motifs.
Occasionally, Gibson's Natural Pet sponsors adoption days at the store, inviting area adoption agencies to visit with animals available for adoption and information about their programs. Those events are posted on the store's website, www.gibsonsnaturalpet.com and Facebook page.
Both the Worcester store and the Grafton kennel have full-time dog groomers on staff. Both also offer training classes for puppies and older dogs.
Since dogs often benefit from socializing with other dogs and people, especially if their owners are out of the house all day, the two locations have doggie daycare facilities, with ample indoor and outdoor play space, even designated nap times.
“A well-socialized dog is a happy dog,” Bob said. “When dogs are left alone all day and don’t have things to do, they end up destroying the house.”
Gibson Kennels has overnight boarding facilities. The largest room has 30 indoor-outdoor runs, where dogs have access to covered outdoor runs via a doggie door and 24 indoor kennels. A second room has indoor kennels and is reserved for smaller or older animals that need a quieter atmosphere. Dogs in indoor kennels go outside several times a day.
Gibson's Natural Pet store is at 994 Grafton St. (Rt. 122) in Worcester, 508-926-8628, www.gibsonsnaturalpet.com.
Gibson Kennels is at 139 Upton St. (Rt. 140) in Grafton. Additional information is available on the website at www.gibsonkennels.com or call 508-839-1757.
Editor's Note: The preceding is not an endorsement and is presented for informational purposes only.
