Eden’s Reptiles is moving into a brick-and-mortar storefront after six years as a home business, and the owners hope it can become ‘a place that people want to come and they want to see.’<\/p>\n
Over the past several years, Ernie and Ruth Rowntree have rescued reptiles from around northern Ontario.<\/p>\n
From lizards and turtles to snakes and frogs, the couple has taken in countless animals over that time, finding new homes for many while educating the public about proper reptile care along the way.<\/p>\n
This week their home-based business, Eden\u2019s Reptiles, is moving to a brick-and-mortar storefront at 812 Queen St. E., with a grand opening planned for May 23.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve been working out of our house for six years now, and we take in a lot \u2013 90 per cent of our animals here at Eden’s Reptiles are rescue animals from people in northern Ontario,\u201d Ernie told SooToday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe needed to expand and get this into Sault Ste. Marie, and make it a place that people want to come and they want to see.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a sense, their store will serve as a standard pet shop.<\/p>\n
Customers will be able to come in, purchase supplies and pets, and seek advice on how to build proper setups and take care of their cold-blooded friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can help them right from the ground up,\u201d Ernie said.<\/p>\n
But the couple hopes their shop can serve as something more.<\/p>\n
With around 85 reptiles and amphibians calling the new shop home \u2013 as well as a lone hedgehog \u2013 the couple would like Eden\u2019s Reptiles to become a reptile community hub where people of all ages can go to learn and have fun.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you’re looking for a snake and you’re not sure about snakes, we have what we call a \u2018snake snuggle,\u2019 which is where you come and I teach you everything about snakes that you could possibly want to know, and you get to hold a bunch of our snakes,\u201d Ernie said.<\/p>\n
The couple\u00a0certainly has the background for the\u00a0role.<\/p>\n
Prior to founding Eden\u2019s Reptiles six years ago, Ernie spent 12 years as an animal lab technician at York University following a stint volunteering in an endangered animal sanctuary in Toronto \u2013 where he got his first experience with reptiles.<\/p>\n
From putting together \u2018bio-setups\u2019 that include living substrate, to advice on decorating terrarium setups on a budget and\u00a0\u2018Rocking with the Reptiles\u2019 parties, the couple hopes to host evening events for reptile enthusiasts of all ages.<\/p>\n
This fall, they also plan to roll out a weekly kids\u2019 club, where children can come out to interact with different reptiles and learn about their care.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re going to start it in the fall, where we have the kids come in and we can teach kids all sorts of stuff and they get to help with the animals,\u201d\u00a0Ernie said.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a community-building process the couple has already worked on for years \u2013 bringing certain \u2018ambassador animals\u2019 from their business to kids\u2019 birthday parties, hosting events at their home, and more.<\/p>\n
Soon, their physical storefront will give that community a dedicated space, and the opportunity for more people to join in.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re really trying to bring that more into the Sault \u2013 get people involved, especially the children,\u201d Ernie said.<\/p>\n
At its grand opening event May 23, a singer from the Korah Collegiate band Mustang Sally will perform live music for customers to enjoy.<\/p>\n