Above: Morinville Pet Valu Store Manager Jenn Verbonac. – Stephen Dafoe Photos
by Stephen Dafoe
The Morinville Pet Value opened recently, joining almost 1200 other locations in Canada and the United States. In business for 40 years, Pet Valu offers a wide variety of pet food, raw food, and accessories.
Morinville’s new location, in the former Spirits Liquor Store at Westmore Landing, is just under 4000 square feet.
Managing the new Pet Valu location is a return to a familiar spot for store manager Jenn Verbonac, who has been with the company for the past three years and previously managed the Spirits Liquor store at that location five years ago.
“There was such a need,” Verbonac said of the company’s decision to locate in Morinville, adding that although their St. Albert store is close by, the new store offers the company’s many products and services right in town.
“Dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs. You name it; we’ve got it.”
The store is open 12 hours a day Monday to Saturday and eight hours on Sunday; however, customers wanting to shop online for their pet food, toys and other pet supplies can do so and pick their items up at the Morinville store.
“You can shop online, pick up in-store. We have curbside. You can send me an email, and I can do your orders for you,” Verbonac said.
Grooming supplies are also available at the store, and the Morinville location has a dog bath as well where customers can bring their four-legged friends to get cleaned up.
“It’s $10, and we supply the shampoo, towels. We have the hairdryer for you—air dry. It’s not heated, so you’re not going to have a poofy dog,” Verbonac said, adding they are hoping to have a groomer on site in January.
The store allows its customers into the store. Not just those who are paying for the order, but those the purchase is for as well.
“We love to see animals here,” Verbonac said. “Dogs, cats. I’ve had goats in my previous store. I even had ducks. We were trying on harnesses for ducks.”
The store is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
