Shop Name: Paradise Island Pets Location: Lebanon, PA, USA Shop Address: 2641 Cumberland St Reviewed By: Shwin Date Of Review: December/2006 Overall: Fair Times Visited: More Than Ten Visits Freshwater Selection: Good Saltwater Selection: Very Good Stock Selection: Good Staff: Very Good Prices: Poor
Comments: I shop there for both aquatic supplies and livestock as well as dog supplies. I'm only basing my review on aquatic stuff.
Going into their aquatic supplies area, you will notice a dark area with three rows of brightly lit tanks.
Freshwater: The tanks are not as sparkling clean as some other stores and the tanks have marker listing the fish and the prices. Problem is, often times the marker writing is on the wrong tank. Whether this is a problem with misidentification or they just simply constantly change where they put particular fish, I don't know. My last two visits I saw ich on some fish. The feeder tank waters are usually completely brown. All tanks are usually overcrowded, but not in amounts more than petstores I've been exposed to. The fish are overpriced like WOW. I couldn't really read the marker writing because it was worn off, but I think black skirt tetras are $6.99. I ordered a fish they didn't have and they said they could only give me a price when they got it. It is usually $2.59 at Petsmart and at the time I didn't have one in the area (now there is near Sear's). When they got it in, their asking prices are $24.99. I never came to get it.
Marine: These tanks are MUCH cleaner. Usually they have one or two fish in each of these tanks unlike the FW. I have no seen any diseases on these fish. I must say I'm unfamiliar with SW fish so I don't know if they are being paired up in compatible matches. There are three giant tanks of coral, shrimp, and other marine fish. And, yes, they didn't not pair up "Dora" with "Nemo" in the biggest bowfront tank. Like I said, I don't have much experience with SW fish so I cannot comment on prices.
The supply selection is alright for the size of the store and for how many different animal supplies they provide. However, you will notice a lot of the merchandise has dust accumulating on it. There have been a few times I went there to something in a rush on the way home and saw it was near expiration or already past. There was something that disappeared off the market two years ago and I saw it still on the shelf there when I was at the store last week. Again, the supplies are terribly overpriced, even before PetSmart opened in the same city. For instance, I bought a Palm filter from drfostersmith.com for $6.99, at Paradise Island pets it was $19.99. A fish net I bought at Walmart for $.97 was $1.99 there.
The staff is for the most part knowledgable about what they talk about. They do carry frozen live foods.
I like to go there because it is a non-chain store and their people obviously know more than if I went to Walmart or PetSmart! Plus my daughter likes to look at the various animals in the store, if you don't buy anything, looking around the store at the various animals makes the trip worth it.
Comment : I find it hard to believe that people are upset that I wrote a review based on prices and impressions of animal care for a PET STORE. If one sells retail, price comparison is far game. And if one deals in a store that surrounds the consumer need to care for their pets, you'd better make it clear that your own pets are cared for. I offer my opinions as a consumer not as a professional, the same population that would be looking at this review in the first place.
Now, for the present.
Yes the store has changed owners and changed names. I had the pleasure of meeting the new owners soon after the change. One thing both the owner and I noted was it smelled MUCH better inside. The fish section is deeper, and they bought the space next door, tore down the wall, and made more retail space. No longer are the shelves piled up and retail shoved together to the point it could fall out. The shelves are organized and I've noticed most of retail isn't dusty nor out of date. The staff is overlyhappy to help and to offer ordering stuff they don't have. I've done this twice, both times they said they'd call but I never did receive a call. Not a big deal though.
The fish are indeed not as overstocked as before. I won't buy fish here anymore, seeing as I now live close enough to That Pet Place in Lancaster that I'd rather drive there to explore ;-)
The prices are more than PetsMart on the other side of town but within reasonable range. It's Wal-mart-syndrome I understand. At least they are not 2-3x more, as they were in my last review.
Ps-they now also do dog grooming, inquire about it they don't have advertisements that I've seem. The groomer did a good job.
~shwin
Comment : I've been to the store billions of times due to my infatuation with pets haha. Back when I started getting into fish tanks I bought my first one there, this was when the original owners had it and the price was insane compared to a 36 gallon bow front from petsmart. I also payed outrageous amounts for fish there. So I switched to petsmart in Lebanon now that we have one. But I recently started to stop in from time to time again because there are new owners and the prices seem to have dropped a little on the items and it seems as though they are starting to clean the store up bit by bit. My main concern is the fact that they sell puppies there that are bought from puppy mills. And at times the puppies don't always seem healthy. Yes they are ADORABLE but I refuse to ever buy one there. There are so many dogs at the humane societys I will always adopt. I have two chihuahuas and two cats they've all been adopted. That's what I recommend. And I do know for a fact that the puppies they sell are from mill's where dogs are misstreated and raised like farm animals to make a profit, in poor and abusive surroundings. The old owners sold them and it seems that the new ones are going to continue to do so too. I think a better idea would be to connect with a local adoption agency and maybe keep some of their animals at the store to help adopt them out to homes...
I've noticed they are getting rid of the bird part all they have left are like two small birds...
Overall the store seems to be getting better they just need to stop selling puppy mill puppys!
Comment : Paradise Island was recently sold and the new owners have changed the name to Pets-N-Stuff. They still offer all the same products and I am told they will be focusing more on their saltwater section than the previous owners. They have redone their show aquarium on the end of the isle and I must say is worth checking out if your in the area. As far as prices go, I'll pay extra for the knowledgeable staff. I have purchased all my SW here and it is top quality!
Comment : My wife does not like to go there. The owner dress code has something to be desired. My wife says she feels like she is in a strip club. She does not like the flirting the owner does with the male customers.
Comment : I worked at this pet shop for nearly six months when I was temporarily relocated to PA. I have 'hands-on' experience with just about every aspect of this business, and I can say unequivocaly that the animals in their care want for nothing. The staff and the owners go the extra mile to see that all of the animals are clean and well fed. They are disease-free and and recieve the best medical attention available. I also know for a fact that the owners treat their animals at home with the same care and concern as they do at the shop.
I think that if you have an opinion of fact, you should be in a position to substantiate yourself rather than offering mere conjecture, prevarication and outright fiction.
Comment : The owners have been in trouble for the abuse of animals with the humane society. Nothing had been followed through on but when your daddy has money what else is new. They also had a horse taken off their farm for abuse. Staff might be nice but the owners are who you need to watch out for animals are nothing next to the almighty dollar.
Comment : This Pet Store is very good. I don't like what you are saying about it. Who cares about the price on the fish and the other thing is that the owners and the people that work there are very nice and care about their customers. You are a mean person to share that on the internet about this Pet Store!
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