BILLINGS — After nearly 30 years, the owner of an exotic pet store on Grand Avenue is thinking of selling.
The store has become a staple in the area and operated as a pet store for many years before current owner Melissa Reeses took over.
Reese and her mother purchased the store decades ago and have run a thriving family business for many years. Reeses said she developed a passion for animals early on as her family moved frequently during her childhood.
“We lived overseas and were always moving, but the animals always came with us,” Reese said. “Friends have come and gone, but dogs and cats have been with me all my life. So I know the importance of true friends.”
For years, Exotic Pets has provided Billings residents with a family-owned pet store that carries traditional pets like cats and dogs, as well as more unique pets like snakes, hamsters and rabbits.
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This is the home of the infamous Elvis, a 20-year-old giant python who died in 2011.
“I think it has a unique presence,” Reeses said. “It has its own personality. Everywhere you go, it’s different.”
But 30 years is a long time, and now it’s hard to find a family-run pet store like Exotic Pets.
“When we opened, there were nine other pet stores like us locally,” Reeses said. “Now, we’re the only ones left.”
Jeff Ewert, director of ZooMontana, said the closures are due to changes in the pet industry, including the growth of online shopping, pet owners looking to spend more on their animals, and ethical concerns raised about the treatment of animals. He said this is an example of a major change.
“If you can buy things from the comfort of your home and have them delivered, that changes things,” Ewert said. “And of course, animal rights have never been more vocal. So, unfortunately, some of these stores weren’t very well run. That and the fact that people who want to adopt shelter dogs… I think that’s what led to this problem because of the increase in the disappearance of these stores. ”
But with Exotic Pets, no such concerns arose.
“We just stuck to what made us true,” Reeses said. “Delivering healthy puppies to happy people.”
Now, looking back on her years of work, Reese knows how proud her mother is. She passed away nearly 10 years ago, and Reese has continued to run the business alone ever since.
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“She’ll be happy,” Reese said. “I feel her in this place every day. I still have her handwriting. That’s very special.”
Reeses said he isn’t going anywhere until he finds the right buyer. Her ideal partner is a family who wants to carry on her and her mother’s tradition and continue the business as a pet shop.
“It’s filled with all the emotions, from excitement to be able to spend more time with my grandchildren to great sadness that we’re going to be gone,” Reese said. “But it’s okay, I’ll come see you.”
Finally, for the first time in 30 years, she can visit the animals like everyone else.
