Pet Necessities, Run By Long-Time Local

Western Springs resident Andrew Krichbaum opened Pet Necessities at the corner of Johnson and Hillgrove in 2007 to provide the premium pet products he prefers to purchase for his own two pointer mixes. Three years later, even through an economic downturn, Krichbaum has built up a client base with a business model geared toward educating his customers about his products and providing the type of customer service that only a small business can.

Question:  What was your goal in opening Pet Necessities?

Andrew Krichbaum: My goal was to bring the town that I grew up in a store that I enjoyed shopping at and wanted in my own hometown, offering more premium products for dogs and cats in Western Springs. Having grown up in Western Springs, [I know] there's never been anything like this in the old town area…It's been great! I've been able to see old faces and new faces; it seems that customers in Western Springs are very loyal.  

Q:  What is the best thing about running your own business?

AK:  Being able to be here every day and seeing the business as it's been developing, and being one-on-one with my customers and knowing who they are, what they like. Just kind of knowing all the aspects that surround the whole retail side of things. The personal point of it.

Q:  What is the worst thing about running your own business?

AK:  I guess the point that you do have to be here every day. I am closed Sunday, Monday, so it does still give me a weekend feel, but I do have people who say "Oh, we showed up on Monday and you were closed," so I do feel like I miss people on Monday. The time that you have to be here and put into it is the downside.

Q:  Do you have a favorite product?

AK:  I try and carry a lot of the products that I have researched and liked myself, so there's not just one product I like.  I've tried to bring in the more premium brands, toys, foods, treats.

Q:  What type of advice would you give to a new small-business owner?

AK:  Make sure you've got a lot of time to put into it.  Be able to understand your base of clients and the products that you're going to be selling or trying to sell.  

Q:  What's the most common question you get from your customers?

AK:  Probably in terms of food: Why is your food better than the grocery line?  Why am I spending $2 on a can of food instead of $1 on a can of food?  Then I educate [customers] on the difference between what is in the food and it opens their eyes to see what they're really feeding their dogs.  [The other common question is] how long have you been here?  It can be hard for people to find me here around the corner.

Q:  What is the best thing you should be feeding your pet?

AK:  Organic, holistic ingredients.  Try to educate yourself on what goes into the food and where it's made; try and pick a source that's closest to where you live, I would say. That way you know it's probably fresh.  And just try and educate yourself on what is really going into the food, what would be the best for your dog or cat.  I tell people to take a sample package home and compare the two panels [of ingredient lists] and you'll see that it's like night and day what goes into the foods.  The cheaper foods have lots of fillers and artificial things in them, flavors and preservatives, and grains that aren't even nutritious for dogs just to make them feel full.  The better foods will list a protein first, then another protein source and fruits and vegetables that are good for a balanced diet.

Q:  What's your goal for the near future?

AK:  My goal for the near future is to provide the products that people are still coming in to buy and to see business grow...and eventually maybe expand to an additional location.