A pet shop that specialises in selling parrots has spread its wings to an adjoining property, massively increasing its sales and storage areas.
Midland Parrots, which has been perched in Coalville, Leicestershire, for four years, has now extended into a former computer sales and repairs shop on the junction of James Street with Belvoir Road, the town’s main shopping thoroughfare.
This expansion means the shop has grown from 10 sq metres to 50, giving it more room for displaying goods and storage as well as better exposure in the town centre.
The shop sells more than 1,000 different items – everything from ‘beef sausages’ for dogs, costing just 20p, up to parrots costing more than £3,000 each!
The shop specialises in selling parrots, budgies and finches, small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs and reptiles such as tortoises, snakes and bearded dragons. It also sells pet food, treats and toys, cages, bedding, health and medical items and accessories.
The business has customers from a wide area. Normally, without the covid-19 pandemic restrictions, it attracts pet lovers from across the country including as far as the Isle of Wight. Such is its reputation it also sends products to customers across Europe, America and even Australia.
For business owner Bob McClumpha and co-director Heather Wright the expansion is a £25,000 investment and a new start.
WAY OF LIFE
“With this move we are hoping to get a lot more footfall now we are on a main road,” said Bob.
For Bob, 67 and partner Diane Gray, birds are not just a business they are a way of life. They get up at 5.30 every morning to feed and clean more than 100 birds at home, some of which are used for breeding, some of which have been re-homed. After Bob leaves the shop after 5pm it’s a case of looking after the animals again until the late hours of the night.
“The birds are our family, they give us so much pleasure with their antics and conversations,” said Bob. “They are good companions.”
In addition to the shop opening seven days a week, Bob has a stall at Long Eaton market every Saturday.
Now Bob is appealing for help from pet lovers with the cost of looking after more than 70 unwanted birds that he and Diane have taken into care. The pandemic hit business revenues, particularly a parrot hotel that Bob and Diane run for birds while their owners are on holiday. The cost of catering for the birds is up to £100 a month.
