May 1, 2007 — If you’ve taken a walk down Frederiksted’s Queen Street this month, you’ve probably seen the parrots and fish in the window of the TLC Pet Store, which St. Thomas businessman Larry Boschulte recently opened in the Suarez building.
Boschulte, who already has a pet store and a petting zoo on St. Thomas, said the Frederiksted store is an expansion, which he is stocking from St. Thomas.
Currently the store sells parrots, finches and other birds; saltwater fish, ferrets and other pet rodents. But Boschulte said his highest priority for the store now is to increase inventory.
Dawn Thomas, who works as a veterinary assistant on St. Croix, is actually running the store on a day-to-day basis, along with her family, while Boschulte minds the store in St. Thomas.
“I’ve been coming to the Ag Fair since 1999,” Boschulte said. “I’ve been back every year except 2001, when I was doing an internship on Capitol Hill. That's how I first met Dawn (Thomas). She’s been helping me the last three years. Her son works with 4-H and he’s good with animals too. . . . She knows animals and cares about them, and I’ve come to rely on her, so I’m really happy it worked out for her to take care of things.”
Thomas’ experience with animal care is just one reason why Boschulte is glad for her help.
“You have to be disciplined,” Boschulte said. “Rain or shine, if you don’t feel well or if something comes up, it doesn’t matter; you have to go take care of the animals no matter what. An animal may not starve because you miss one feeding, but just the stress can weaken their immune system, and the next thing you know your animals are sick. Dawn (Thomas) knows this and knows what has to be done.”
Boschulte, a native of St. Thomas, has been in the pet business since 2000, but the roots of the enterprise go back to his college business studies. After getting a degree in Entrepreneurial Studies from Xavier University in 1991 Boschulte returned home to St. Thomas and held a variety of positions in government and private business. As time went by, he began to feel the need to put his studies to use.
“In 1999 I was 29, and I told myself by the time I was 30 I had to open a business,” Boschulte said. “I started with small Shetland ponies I would take to the agricultural fair, to birthday parties and private functions. I had been doing that as a hobby since before Marilyn so around ’95 or so.”
In 2000 Boschulte opened up his pet store and not long afterwards a petting zoo.
“It was a natural move for me,” Boschulte said. “My mother’s family farmed, and we always had animals around. We raised rabbits and Rhode Island Reds (chickens).
The decision to open a store on St. Croix came out of his trips here for the annual St. Croix Agricultural Fair.
“People were asking me to bring animals over to sell, especially aquarium fish,” Boschulte said. “There seems to be demand, so I thought I should see about setting up a shop, adding, "A lot of people told me not to do it in Frederiksted because of the economy and the problems here. But I love Frederiksted. It is a beautiful town, especially since the waterfront has been completed. I think the town is getting ready to take off.”
Boschulte looked at several properties before coming to the location in the Suarez building. He plans to see how business goes in this location, then he hopes to set up a petting zoo, as well.
“The petting zoos are good businesses and fun,” Boschulte said. “I get kids in from elementary schools, camps, kindergartens and day cares — younger kids. They have fun and so do I. Every state I go to, I visit the local zoo and check out the kids’ section to see what other places are doing.”
Sensitive to the concerns of animal rights activists, Boschulte made clear he feels he treats his animals well.
“I’m in this business because I love animals,” Boschulte said. “And I have a financial stake, too. If the animals are not healthy and happy, I don’t have anything to sell. I understand why animal lovers worry, but I work hard to keep mine healthy and happy.”
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