Discover Fin & Feather Pet Center, Inc.: A Richmond Pet Store Gem

Fin & Feather Pet Center, Inc. Introduce

For dedicated pet enthusiasts in the Virginia region, finding a pet store that offers more than just the basics is a treasure. We're talking about a place with a deep commitment to the animals they house, a wide and unique selection, and a knowledgeable staff. If you're looking for such a place, you need to know about Fin & Feather Pet Center, Inc., a small business nestled in Richmond that has earned a reputation for being a go-to destination for aquatics and exotic animals.

Located on Lakeside Avenue, Fin & Feather Pet Center, Inc. is not your typical chain store. It's an establishment that caters to a special kind of pet owner—one who is passionate about fish, reptiles, and other unique creatures. As a "Pet store," it offers a comprehensive range of supplies, but its true strength lies in its live animal selection. One reviewer noted that they "love coming here for my aquarium needs," and it's easy to see why. The store has a huge aquarium room with both marine and freshwater tanks, and their tanks are reported to be clean and filled with healthy animals. The reviewer highlighted "oddball and rare fish/aquatic inverts" they couldn't find at other Richmond fish stores, including a "bamboo cat shark, triggerfish, and a gigantic marine hermit crab."

The store’s appeal extends well beyond the aquatic world. It also features a significant reptile room, which a reviewer specializing in arthropods found particularly impressive. This reviewer noted that the room is "half dedicated to arthropods of all varieties," with an extensive list of creatures that are often difficult to find, such as "African giant millipedes," "velvet spiders," "Greek ladybird spiders," and "scarab beetle pupa." The selection of reptiles is also vast, including various geckos, skinks, and even amphibians like "pacman frogs and axolotls." This broad and specialized selection is what truly sets Fin & Feather apart from its competitors, making it a destination for enthusiasts from all over Northern and Central Virginia.

Customer service is another area where Fin & Feather shines. One customer recounted their positive experience of asking an assistant to pick out a male betta fish for them. "Several weeks later, I couldn't be happier with her choice," the customer wrote, praising the fish for being "pretty and gregarious and healthy." This personal touch and expertise demonstrate the staff’s genuine care and knowledge, building a strong rapport with customers. Even in cases where a customer had a less-than-perfect experience, like a dead vampire crab, the review still granted a "5 stars regardless, because at the end of the day the animals seem to be very well cared for, and for the most part pricing is great." This speaks volumes about the overall quality of care the animals receive at the store.

While some reviews mention that certain items, particularly some reptiles and invertebrates, can be a little pricey, the general consensus is that the store offers competitive and fair pricing, especially for fish. A returning customer noted, "I find that they have some of the best prices for fish that I’ve found between NOVA and Richmond stores." The variety and health of the animals often justify the cost, and for many, the opportunity to find rare specimens is worth the investment.

Location and Accessibility

Fin & Feather Pet Center, Inc. is conveniently located at 5208 Lakeside Ave, Richmond, VA 23228, USA. Situated in a well-trafficked area, it is easy to find for residents of Richmond and the surrounding communities.

The store is accessible to all customers, with a wheelchair accessible entrance and a wheelchair accessible parking lot. These features ensure that anyone, regardless of mobility, can visit and enjoy the impressive selection the store has to offer.

Services Offered

In-store pickup: Customers can place an order and pick it up at their convenience.
In-store shopping: Explore the extensive and unique selection of animals and supplies in person.
Onsite services: The store offers various onsite services, likely including expert advice, animal health checks, and assistance with product selection.

Features / Highlights

Impressive Selection of Live Animals: The store is renowned for its vast and unique selection of fish, reptiles, and invertebrates, many of which are hard to find elsewhere in the region.
Expert Staff: The staff is knowledgeable and passionate about their animals, providing expert advice and personalized recommendations.
Focus on Animal Health: Customer reviews consistently highlight that the animals appear to be very well cared for, with clean tanks and healthy specimens.
Small Business Charm: As a small, local business, Fin & Feather offers a more personal and intimate shopping experience compared to larger chains.
Convenient Payment Options: The store accepts a variety of payment methods, including checks, credit cards, debit cards, and NFC mobile payments, for a smooth checkout process.
Accessibility: The store is wheelchair accessible, ensuring that everyone can visit with ease.

Contact Information

Address: 5208 Lakeside Ave, Richmond, VA 23228, USA

Phone: (804) 262-6681

What is worth choosing

Choosing to shop at Fin & Feather Pet Center, Inc. is a decision that makes a statement. It's a choice to support a small, local business that is a true gem in the Virginia pet community. What makes this store particularly worth choosing is its incredible specialization and dedication. Unlike generic pet stores, Fin & Feather is a haven for enthusiasts of aquatics, reptiles, and invertebrates. The ability to find rare and unique animals, along with the supplies needed to care for them, is a significant draw for a niche audience that is often underserved.

The value here goes beyond just products. It’s about the expertise and passion of the staff. When you can trust an assistant to pick out the perfect betta fish for you, or get advice on a rare arthropod, you're not just a customer—you're part of a community. The care and attention to the animals' well-being, as highlighted in numerous reviews, create a sense of trust and reliability that is invaluable. Even with some variations in pricing, the overall quality and the uniqueness of the selection make the trip worthwhile.

In an era of large corporate chains, Fin & Feather Pet Center, Inc. stands out as a personalized, expert-driven establishment. It is a vital resource for hobbyists and a place where a love for animals truly comes first. For anyone in the Richmond area or beyond who is passionate about their aquatic, reptilian, or insectoid companions, this store is not just an option—it’s the definitive choice.

Fin & Feather Pet Center, Inc. Details

From the business
Small business

Service options
In-store pickup
In-store shopping
Onsite services
Delivery

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Planning
Quick visit

Payments
Checks
Credit cards
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments
Credit cards

Fin & Feather Pet Center, Inc. Photos

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Fin & Feather Pet Center, Inc. Location

Fin & Feather Pet Center, Inc.

Virginia Henrico County Richmond Lakeside Avenue

5208 Lakeside Ave, Richmond, VA 23228, USA

Fin & Feather Pet Center, Inc. Reviews

An average rating of ★4.3 from 1045 user reviews.

ratscagessuppliespondfeedersaquatic plantbettaexotic petsmammalsfeathers

★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

I love coming here for my aquarium needs. I don't actually buy many fish here because the ones I do buy tend to live a long time. I love my most recent acquisition - my first male betta fish. I asked the assistant to pick one out for me, and several weeks later, I couldn't be happier with her choice. He's pretty and gregarious and healthy.
July 22 · Amy T
EDIT: I got the chance to visit Richmond again, and I am pleased to report that I still found the store in great condition! Being more in touch with prices now, I find that they have some of the best prices for fish that I’ve found between NOVA and Richmond stores. Reptiles can lean a little pricey but nothing outrageous. Their invert prices are now… confusing. It feels like someone just sort of made up prices as they got bugs in, the prices are very random and not competitive, except the few that are randomly way cheaper than market value. They have the best selection of invertebrates I have seen around, but some of the prices are outright absurd, like up to 5x typical public market value of an individual. If we consider group pricing, for some of their bugs I could get 10 for the price they sell 1 for. A little disappointing, last time I visited the prices made more sense. 5 stars regardless, because at the end of the day the animals seem to be very well cared for, and for the most part pricing is great.Original Review 8/24: I am someone who is extremely critical of pet stores, but in my own personal experience visiting yesterday I did not witness a lot of the issues others have mentioned. I should make it clear that I was visiting with 6 others who were board members/highly involved in numerous VA aquarium associations, and this store was told ahead of time that we would be coming, so it is certainly possible they did a lot of sprucing up for our arrival. I do plan on visiting again, so if the state of it is more like other reviews here report, I will edit my review. All that being said, I had a very positive experience here!They have the broadest selection of animals I have seen thus far in northern/central VA, I was especially drawn to the first reptile room, which is half dedicated to arthropods of all varieties (my area of specialty)! They have a lot of arthropods I have had trouble finding online, some of them at better prices than I have found even from wholesale/private vendors. African giant millipedes (+ plenty of other millipedes), velvet spiders, greek ladybird spiders, scarab beetle pupa, isopods, rare springtails, and much more. They also had a pretty large selection of reptiles. BPs, boas, monitors, geckos (including some less common micro geckos), skinks, some other oddball reptiles, and also pacman frogs and axolotls for amphibian enjoyers.They have a huge aquarium room with both marine and freshwater tanks, they definitely have a lot of oddball and rare fish/aquatic inverts that I did not see at any other fish store in richmond. The tanks appeared clean with healthy animals. Some highlights include a bamboo cat shark, triggerfish, and a gigantic marine hermit crab. There’s definitely more I missed, despite having an hour I wasn’t able to cover all of their live selection!They do also have a bird room. I’m personally of the belief parrots make awful pets all around, so I’m not personally fond of seeing hand raised birds sold at pet stores, but compared to how stores typically sell birds I would say they were in mediocre conditions. Not something I would call abusive by any means, but I do think there’s room for improvement. I think the issue with any store like this is it’s hard to have shining care in every animal department, since most employees/pet owners in general will have their own specialty.I personally did not notice the smell others here have mentioned (and I am extremely sensitive to smell), but again it could have been preparation for us, I plan on visiting again.I decided on buying their vampire crabs, which they said they had two of. When they removed the crabs to put them in a container for me, they saw a third one, who was not making any movement. They said it was likely dead, I argued it may just be taking a while to molt. Even if it was dead, that is unavoidable with relatively fragile animals like these. What was a little odd was that I still had to pay (albiet at a 50% discount) to take him, despite the fact they would have just discarded him. Crab did not make it.
April 15 · Leo Mahoney
I have been a regular customer at this location for almost 6 years. The staff are wonderful, and the manager is a wizard at getting New Caledonian geckos to eat. The selection is typically excellent when it comes to animals, and it’s rare I find something they can’t special order. Their prices on feeder insects and rodents are about half the price of the feeders at big chain pet stores, and their prices on animals are also very fair. Their enclosures are smaller than ideal, but they’re a pet store and they typically sell animals quickly, so they aren’t in small enclosures for very long. The staff clearly love their jobs, and it shows in the health of the animals, especially at the pond center. If you’re within 30 minutes of this store then it’s the best pet store around.
December 28 · Brendan Seiferheld
Great experience! Got a really good price on a 75 gallon tank, it’s in perfect shape and looks great. Definitely worth the drive down, my 12 year old turtle loves his new tank!
August 11 · Vincent Boyer
What a fantastic local pet store! Been the staple of Richmond for as long as I can remember. Their selection of more exotic type animals is pretty impressive. Lots of pretty cool snakes, lizards, tarantulas, scorpions, and even other types of insects. Have a pretty good sized bird room always have either guinea pigs or rabbits out front. And one of the better selection of fresh and salt water fish in the area. I stopped in usually once a week, maybe once every other week to grab feeder Guppies and minnows for our turtle. Usually will get a package of mealworms as well. They have a huge selection of premium dog and cat food. Lots of toys for your animals and goodies. They carry pretty much any type of food selection you need for almost any animal. The staff is always very helpful. Pretty easy location to get to. If you need something special they can't even do special orders as well. Pretty soon we'll be buying a frog and I know we'll be getting it from Fin and feather. It's very easy to forget that we have a local pet store, my kids always want to go it's like going to a mini Zoo. Take the time and go check them out you won't be at disappointed.
July 06 · Anthony Couillard