PETstock: For all creatures great and small

As all pet owners know, running out of pet food is not an option.

So there’s little doubt that when Matt and Melissa Barnes opened Daylesford's PETstock store just over a year ago, many pet and livestock owners relaxed a little.

One of the first things they did on purchasing the former Stockfeed store on Knox Street was to extend trading hours.

"We extended the opening hours on our first day," says Matt, who with Melissa, also owns and operates the Castlemaine PETstock store. We're open seven days a week and our hours are now 9am to 4pm weekends, and 8.30am to 5.30pm weekdays," Matt says.

Understanding the practical needs of all sorts of pets and livestock is something they’ve honed over many years. Matt and Melissa had taken on the PETstock franchise for the Hoppers Crossing store way back in 2003.

"That was back when there were only about 17 PETstock stores across Australia, and now there’s over 200,” Matt says. In 2018 the couple made a big move, purchasing the Castlemaine PETstock store. "We sold our house, bought a little house in Castlemaine and moved with our four kids," says Matt.

Their purchase of the Daylesford store on Knox Street in November 2021 now strengthens their place in the lives of local pet owners. "I think one of our strengths is that we have a very generous rewards program,” Matt says.

"There was already a good product range at this store but now that it's a PETstock, this has expanded even more and everything on the PETstock website is available to our customers. We have an extensive online offering, and click and collect is available from our Daylesford store.”

Matt doesn’t hesitate when asked what he enjoys most about his work.

"It's always the customer interaction," he says. "It's all about customer service, things like carrying goods out to the car. And we do deliveries two or three times a week. People take their pets very seriously, whether it’s horses or goats or pigs or cats.”

The couple's own household includes Rhodesian ridgeback pup Lilybet, Jack Russell Dusty, and cats Millie, Chippy and Kevin.

"It's nice to talk to people about their pets. It always brings a smile to their face.

"Covid really highlighted the importance of the bond between pets and people, especially for those who live on their own. We love serving the Daylesford community and we're here for the long term."

Advertorial