Industry Spotlight L-R: Ben Dessen, John Grima, Richard Sheen
Unrivalled Passion From its humble beginnings, Sydney’s Kellyville Pets is now one of Australia’s most recognisable independent pet retailers. Words Thomas Oakley-Newell DRIVING ALONG Windsor Road in Beaumont Hills, you’d be hard
pressed to miss Kellyville Pets with its scattering of towering dinosaur
statues throughout the carpark and giant gorilla menacing over the entrance. Step inside and you’re met with an immersive feast of sight, sound,
and smell, with floor to ceiling displays of animals, accessories, food, and everything in between.
While the store may not have always looked this way, the unwavering
passion and commitment to animal welfare and customer service by owner and founder John Grima has always been present.
What started as a young man selling rabbits on his father’s farm,
has evolved into one of Australia’s largest and leading independent pet retailers, and Grima couldn’t be prouder.
“I used to love pet shops and I’d love going to them as a kid. I would say
that when I get older, I want to own a pet shop.”
From what was a weekend hobby at 16, soon transformed into a full-
time role when Grima left school, putting every dollar he made back into the store, not even paying himself a wage.
Grima’s passion for both pets and providing high-quality customer
service is evident not only in the vast variety of products and animals in-
store but in the knowledge and enthusiasm in the more than 40 specialist staff he has employed.
“We want the customer to walk out feeling impressed and that’s why
we spend a lot of time training our staff and getting the right staff that are passionate about the products and animals that we sell, and the customer can sense that.”
“I used to love pet shops and I’d love going to them as a kid. I would say that when I get older, I want to own a pet shop.” – John Grima 14 Pet Industry News | May/Jun/Jul 2022
Kellyville Pets is home to
thousands of pets, ranging from dogs
and cats to lizards and snakes to stick insects and ants, and rather than
