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In November of 2020, the well-loved PetValu in Southbury Plaza abruptly announced its closing. As the local go-to pet store (complete with self-serve bath stations!), pet parents were disappointed. Fortunately, a business quickly stepped in to fill the void. Welcome Choice Pet, Southbury’s newest pet store!
Our President and Pack leader, Jessica, ventured out to the new store to see what it has to offer our friends and clients in Southbury. She also spoke with Bill Dellipoali, Choice Pet’s Head of Buying and Merchandising. Bill has been with the business for almost 30 years and has been involved in almost all of its operations. Naturally, he had some great insight to share!
Where is the new Choice Pet store?
The new store is right where Pet Valu left the Southbury Plaza – next to Stop and Shop. When you drive in to the plaza from the main entrance just drive straight past Old Navy and Catalyst. There are new signs to make sure you can’t miss it!
Choice Pet store front in Southbury, CT
What does Choice Pet carry?
Choice Pet carries a wide variety of most anything you could need for your pet. The clean, beautiful store is lined with aisles of collars, toys, treats, bones, food, gates, small animal supplies, beds, bowls, litter, pet jackets, fresh, bakery-style pet cookies… you name it, it’s probably there!
Dog toys at Choice Pet
Choice Pet strives to always have a mix of brands. Some of these include bigger brands that customers are familiar with but also smaller, more unique product that may fall outside of the usual distribution channels. As the head of Buying and Merchandising, Bill explained that he does a lot of research along with attending large and small tradeshows to always see what’s out there. Choice Pet takes great pride in bringing in new products that will best benefit Guests and their pets.
What is Bill’s favorite products? He loves learning and educating pet parents about the food choices there are for companion animals. From raw to freeze dried to kibble, every animal is unique and there are endless options to find the right nutritional fit for them. Bill is passionate about discussing options with the stores’ Guests and introducing them to quality brands they may not have been aware of.
He also was excited to tell us about a toy he found at a tradeshow – the Tether Tug. While not currently in the Southbury location, the Tether Tug is an interactive toy great for dogs of all sizes. The spring-loaded pole is stuck into the ground and attachments can be swapped out for endless playtime!
Did they keep the bath stations?
We know this is everyone’s most burning question. Have no fear – there are still self-serve bath stations!
Self-serve dog wash stations at Choice Pet in Southbury
What makes Choice Pet unique?
Bill feels there are two distinct qualities that make Choice Pet stand out from the rest.
Their Focus on Nutrition
The first is the Choice Pet’s focus on nutrition to better the lives of their Guests’ animals. Bill explained his efforts to bring in many brands at all different price points. By doing this, he can provide the best selection of foods out there to match a wide variety of budgets. He believes that without giving your pet the best nutrition you can, you’re not going to see them at their healthiest. By working with their Guests, Choice Pet aims to help all animals live the healthiest, longest lives possible.
Varieties of kibble at Choice Pet
Their Customer Service
While Choice Pet does have a number of locations in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, the business takes great pride to still have the ability and dedication to go above and beyond for customers in each and every one of their stores. From special ordering products and ecommerce options to curbside pickup, Bill and the Southbury team are dedicated to an excellent customer service experience. Bill feels that if the store doesn’t take care of its Guests, first and foremost, everything they do behind the scenes means nothing. (We agree!)
How will Choice Pet help the Southbury pet community?
Choice Pet takes pride in getting involved in local rescues and organizations in order to make an impact on the pet community around their stores. An amazing example is their dedication to supporting local rescues with their Rescue Me Program. Each time a participating rescue adopts a dog or cat out to a family within a ten mile radius of a Choice Pet store, the new pet parent gets a $25 gift card as a “thank you” for adoption. The rescue also gets a $20 check to help support their work to save lives.
What did we think?
Jess and River had a great time checking out the new Choice Pet store. The staff was friendly, the store was clean and beautiful and River was so excited to pick out a treat. They didn’t even make it out of the store before she just had to dig in!
Want to visit yourself? We can hook you up with a coupon for being our friend. Just get in touch!
River enjoying her snack from Choice Pet
RCO Pet Care is proud to be a partner of Choice Pet in Southbury. To learn how we can help you with your pet care needs, check out our services, contact us or call us at (203) 641-2428. We are proud to service Middlebury, Naugatuck, Newtown, Oxford, Seymour, Southbury, Thomaston, Waterbury, Watertown and Woodbury, CT. If you’re outside of our service area, we’re happy to help you find a reputable, professional pet care provider. We’ve got your tail!
Jessica graduated magna cum laude with her Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science from the University of Connecticut in 2015. Her animal-centered coursework here included courses in animal behavior, health and disease management, anatomy and physiology, basic through advanced nutrition and feeding, genetics, comparative exercise physiology, endocrinology, reproductive physiology and equine science.
Her resume also boasts hands-on work experience managing horse farms, working with animals ranging from prairie dogs and bison to South American Primates at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, as well as care, training and management of domestic animals from hamsters to cows.
Outside of RCO, Jessica is the dog mom of five (Rocco, Luna, Owl, River and Peanut), enjoys reading, walking and training her own dogs, visiting Disney World and pursuing further educational opportunities.
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