About Us
Animal Essentials...101 Main St., Fredericton North, Unit 3
Nashwaaksis Plaza (Superstore Mall)
506-459-2010
Hours: Monday-Saturday (9 a.m.- 8 p.m.)
Sunday (Noon - 5 p.m.)
Closed all statuatory holidays
Shelley and Brad Janes, Owners
Shelley Janes: Certified fish specialist, pure animal lover and business woman, Shelley is indeed the chief cook and bottle washer at Animal Essentials. Responsible for all the ordering and stock at the store, she is never far from a keyboard to post the latest merchandise.
Brad Janes: Responsible for heavy lifting and marketing of Animal Essentials. He maintains a blog on the life of a pet store owner, can talk a starving dog off a meat truck and insists on dealing with customers one-on-one. His biggest challenge is to avoid bad hair days.
Client Value
Animal Essentials has never attempted to compete against the larger chains when it comes to all things for everyone.
Instead, the idea is to find its niche and make available the essentials. We strive to keep our prices competitive with knowledge and service helping make shopping here a positive experience.
We also promote a number of frequent buyer programs for our valued food customers.
And where else can you get Blue Seal pet food in the region?
We believe stocking premium foods and products is definitely the way to go. We know there are countless of choices and options for the shopper looking for value.
It is not uncommon to have your purchases walked to your car by one of our employees. That is not an act. It is because we care.
Borrowing a line...those who like us, like us a lot.
Our Fredericton SPCA Affiliation
Have a look at a recent The Daily Gleaner piece on our Fredericton SPCA coordinater Jen Eastwood...congratulations from your friends at Animal Essentials.
http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/cityregion/article/1177594
Meanwhile, we are pleased to be a satellite adoption centre for the Fredericton SPCA.
The relationship with the SPCA started in the fall of 2009 and has indeed been a tremendous stride for Animal Essentials. Since the program started, we have been pleased to find new homes for a plethora of cats and rabbits.
"We want to do the right thing when it comes to helping in the community and the relationship with the Fredericton SPCA has been a extremely positive experience," said Animal Essentials' owner Shelley Janes. "It has helped take some of the pressure of the SPCA and brought an entirely different community feel into our store. Finding homes for the animals is always a rewarding experience. The community has certainly responded."
For further information on the Fredericton SPCA, visit http://www.frederictonspca.ca
Hours of Operation
At Animal Essentials, we are open every day...with the odd exception including provincial or nationally designated holidays.
Standard hours, however, are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and noon through 5 p.m. on Sunday at AE1. hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at AE2.
Particularly in the summer season, we may stay open until 9 p.m.
We are located in the Nashwaak Plaza at 101 Main St. on the Northside of Fredericton in the Superstore complex.
Community
We understand the City of
We embrace the diverse community we serve.
The bottom line when entering Animal Essentials is we believe shopping for your pet should be a fun, entertaining and informative experience.
That is what we try and embrace.
Regardless of your address, arriving at Animal Essentials is worth making it a destination spot.
We are active in the community. There have been numerous sponsorship deals with teams, events and other marketing avenues.
We are called Your Neighbourhood Pet Store. And it does not matter which neighbourhood you are coming from.
Our History
Opened in 2006 and there has not been a lot of rest since then!
But we want to keep Animal Essentials fresh in the eyes of our regular customers and appealing to those who walk through the door for the first time.
Our
We are known as Your Neighbourhood Pet Store and we take that seriously.
Animal Essentials is a small, family-owned business that tries its best at going the extra mile to give you reason to return.
Customer Testimonials
The following are some recent testimonials from real, living people who are not related to any one on the staff or the owners!
We thank all of you for your suggestions and try to update them every six weeks or so.
1. Guys,
The prizes you donated to our event were perfect. We had some good solid bids on them and you will be happy to know the same person purchased both lots of prizes. It was a big help. Thanks again, Richard R
2. Animal Essentials Staff,
A note to let you know our cat adopted from your store is thriving with her new friends and family members. We were sad to lose our longtime pet and although she can't replace her in memory, we are happy to see such an easy adjustment. Thanks for taking the time.
Joanne T.
Blue Seal's By Nature Joins Twitter
For those of you who enjoy Twitter - or Tweeting - please find the following link to Blue Seal and its By Nature food line which we carry exclusively here at Animal Essentials: www.twitter.com/ByNaturePets
Canidae Features Animal Essentials as Retailer of the Month
Animal Essentials of Fredericton, New Brunswick
CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods salutes Animal Essentials of New Brunswick as its next Featured Retailer for its dedication to customer service, exceptionally well trained staff, and for owners Brad and Shelley Janes' entrepreneurial spirit.
The City of Fredericton is nestled along the banks of the mighty St. John River in New Brunswick, Canada. New Brunswick's capital and an important cultural center for all of Eastern Canada, Fredericton is home to Brad and Shelley Janes' independent pet supply store, Animal Essentials.
Known as "Your Neighborhood Pet Store," Animal Essentials opened in the spring of 2006 under the husband and wife team of Brad and Shelley who built the store from the ground up. The 3,500-square foot retail location specializes in premium pet foods including CANIDAE and FELIDAE, two of Animal Essentials� top sellers.
The Animal Essentials staff is extensively trained in customer service and pet product knowledge, catering to customers, both two and four-legged. "We believe customers are still searching for personal service and once they find us, we are able to keep them as regulars," said Brad Janes. "We try to do so many of the little things that may be ignored by other stores. Whether its carrying a bag of CANIDAE to the parking lot or simply fitting a dog with a harness, we are there to help. Our staff is personable, but they also have a strong work ethic and are continually trained to stay abreast of the newest products and nutritional information. These extra steps go a long way toward customer loyalty."
The store offers everything from premium food to toys, leashes, collars, apparel and a 16-tank aquarium operation. Animal Essentials is also a satellite adoption agency for the Fredericton SPCA. "We are supporters of our local SPCA and have found new homes for over 25 cats and rabbits since we began our affiliation," said Brad. "It is been a win-win situation for us. Whether we have adoption drives at the store on a Saturday afternoon, or are finding new homes for abandoned pets, it is a special relationship we have developed with the community."
Both Brad and Shelley hold down full-time jobs in Fredericton and find the time to balance a busy store along with their three children, two Lhasa Apsos, a cat, a guinea pig and a horse.
"Both Shelley and I grew up with animals of all sorts and after shopping in various pet stores throughout Canada and the United States, we started to take more and more in, wondering if it was something we would look forward to actually operating ourselves," said Brad. "It was a huge decision, especially with a young family and working full-time, but we have managed to get through the early stages and keep adding to our inventory and reputation. The lessons we have learned have been amazing. It has been a four-year education."
Animal Essentials carries a full line of CANIDAE and FELIDAE products. The food lines are well displayed and the CANIDAE logo is actually on the roof-top signage. "We have had outstanding success, particularly with the CANIDAE line of canine foods and we do not see that slowing down any time soon," said Brad. "Both the canine and feline products have been a big boost to our store and very well received by customers looking for an all natural diet for their pets."
Success Stories | Shelley Janes: Animal Essentials Offers Local Feel and Flavour in Fredericton...
(This item initially appeared in the Business Development Council publication)
Shelley Janes has a Bachelor of Business Administration from UNB SJ and owns a Human Resources Management Certificate from UNB's College of Extended Learning. Always having an entrepreneurial spirit, Shelley obtained her business degree with the intention of someday running her own business, something related to animals. After working in a corporate role for 15 years, Shelley pursued her dream and this savvy business owner owns and operates Animal Essentials in Fredericton, N.B.
Shelley describes her business as 'A relaxed and happy environment. People can bring their dog in and let them shop along the treat aisle, be fitted with a new collar and/or jacket, etc. We pride ourselves on providing a friendly knowledgeable service. We are animal lovers and owners and are happy to talk about animals all day long. We know many customers by name (humans too!)'
Animal Essentials offers competitive prices while providing an excellent selection.
According to Shelley, 'Being accountable and having control over the day to day running of the business is the most rewarding aspect of being a business owner.' The most challenging aspect is, 'Every decision I make is critical to the success of the business. Also, I have to be involved with all areas of the business world; customer service, purchasing, finance, human resource management. Very challenging! Never boring!'
Animal Essentials motto is, 'Your neighbourhood pet store.' The business has a homespun look and feel that is unique and opposite of the Big Box Stores. There is a friendly, local feel and flavour. Janes says, 'We have made the decision not to sell puppies and kittens because we do not want to take the chance of inadvertently supporting the puppy mill industry. I am a firm believer that dogs and cats should be adopted from local shelters/rescue societies, or from reputable breeders who have been checked out thoroughly.'
Which has led to Animal Essentials being a satellite adoption centre for the Fredericton SPCA.
Shelley has been surrounded by excellent leaders. She was with NBTel in its glory days and people she worked with were second to none. 'The best advice I ever received was, do not t focus on what you cannot do, concentrate on what you can do.'
This entrepreneur has been living by this motto ever since.
If she could give advice to any thinking of going into business, especially aspiring entrepreneurs, she would say, 'You cannot do enough homework. Check everything out and get it in writing. Sadly we no longer live in a world of doing business on a handshake. Have a plan but be willing to make adjustments on the way. My preferred path has been to grow slowly but safely from a financial point of view. I believe it is one of the keys to our success.'
Shelley attributes the CBDCs to helping her business along the way. 'The CBDC stepped in and helped with financing when none of the traditional sources would. For that, I will be ever grateful. The process was relatively painless and my account manager genuinely cared about assisting me and moving my business forward.'
A testimonial from a happy client is as follows: 'Woof, woof, meow, cheep, cheep.'
A translation for the humans, 'Thanks for giving my humans a place to get quality foods and products so I can stay healthy and happy.'
For a local flavour and a happy pet experience, be sure to visit Shelley Janes at Animal Essentials
The Daily Gleaner Coverage
Animal Essentials made the business section of The Daily Gleaner after earning recognition from Canidae as its Retailer of the Month.
Making the Feature Page of Corey Foods Publishing
Animal Essentials: Dealer Profile
The relationship with animals has never been the question. Owning a business, however, was a key question.
As she worked her way up the Canadian corporate management ladder with what was then NB Tel, Shelley Janes knew the opportunity to put her business degree from the University of New Brunswick in Saint John to work was tugging at her in earnest. Combined with a love for animals, she was able to put the two together, opening Fredericton's Animal Essentials with her husband Brad, in May of 2007.
'The opportunity to be on our own and continue a relationship with animals was critical when it came to the decision to open Animal Essentials,' said Janes, who counts two Lhasa apsos, one horse and a guinea pig amongst her four-legged brood. 'The chance to be your own boss and have control over how the business operates was the absolute key for both of us. It has been a tough challenge in a competitive industry, but we are learning the ropes and fostering a strong relationship with a loyal following of customers and their pets.'
Animal Essentials, which began carrying ProSeries this past spring, is known in the region as 'Your Neighbourhood Pet Store,' a store where you can bring your favourite pet to shop or browse. It is not unusual to see regulars bring their dog to the store and whatever hits the floor from the treat rack is that days' purchase.
Using 'Your Neighbourhood Pet Store,' isn't a slogan the Janes' take lightly.
'We understand how competitive the pet industry is and we also understand that customers are still looking for a down home feeling where service is integral to the success of business,' she said. 'We never take any days or take any of our customers for granted. We don't mind carrying purchases out to your car. Our staff is trained to know food first and foremost, but they need to be the torchbearers for our philosophy which is service, service, service. We need to stand out anyway we can and we believe service and product knowledge is paramount.'
Animal Essentials also became a satellite adoption centre for the Fredericton SPCA. They adopt cats and kittens. Each adopted feline with leave the store with a ProSeries gift pack, compliments of Corey Feed Mills Ltd.
'It was a nice addition to have the SPCA affiliation to provide a gift package for each adopted cat, it simply added to what we're trying to do from a community aspect,' said Janes. 'We've had a tremendous response from all of the parties involved and are happy to find new homes for cats frompeople who are serious about adopting a cat or kitten that has been spayed, neutered and microchipped.'
Animal Essentials is located in the Devon Plaza on Fredericton's Northside. They are open seven days a week except for national holidays. Contact 459-2010, or e-mail info@animalessentials.ca
 Shelley Janes: Animal Essentials Offers Local Feel and Flavour in Fredericton
Shelley describes her business as 'A relaxed and happy environment. People can bring their dog in and let them shop along the treat aisle, be fitted with a new collar and/or jacket, etc. We pride ourselves on providing a friendly knowledgeable service. We are animal lovers and owners and are happy to talk about animals all day long. We know many customers by name (humans too!)' Animal Essentials offers competitive prices while providing an excellent selection. According to Shelley, 'Being accountable and having control over the day to day running of the business is the most rewarding aspect of being a business owner.' The most challenging aspect is, 'Every decision I make is critical to the success of the business. Also, I have to be involved with all areas of the business world; customer service, purchasing, finance, human resource management. Very challenging! Never boring!' Animal Essentials motto is, 'Your neighbourhood pet store.' The business has a homespun look and feel that is unique and opposite of the Big Box Stores. There is a friendly, local feel and flavour. Janes says, 'We have made the decision not to sell puppies and kittens because we do not want to take the chance of inadvertently supporting the puppy mill industry. I am a firm believer that dogs and cats should be adopted from local shelters/rescue societies, or from reputable breeders who have been checked out thoroughly.' Which has led to Animal Essentials being a satellite adoption centre for the Fredericton SPCA. Shelley has been surrounded by excellent leaders. She was with NBTel in its glory days and people she worked with were second to none. 'The best advice I ever received was, don�t focus on what you can�t do, concentrate on what you can do.' This entrepreneur has been living by this motto ever since. If she could give advice to any thinking of going into business, especially aspiring entrepreneurs, she would say, 'You can�t do enough homework. Check everything out and get it in writing. Sadly we no longer live in a world of doing business on a handshake. Have a plan but be willing to make adjustments on the way. My preferred path has been to grow slowly but safely from a financial point of view. I believe it is one of the keys to our success.' A testimonial from a happy client is as follows: 'Woof, woof, meow, cheep, cheep.' A translation for the humans, 'Thanks for giving my humans a place to get quality foods and products so I can stay healthy and happy.' |
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