Ryan Carter knows firsthand the joy of being a pet owner.
And with three dogs and four cats at home, being able to connect with customers that come into his family-owned and operated pet store – which just opened two weeks ago in the former Blockbuster Video location at the corner of Main and Alameda streets – is something that he says is paramount when you’re in the business of taking care of such a large part of somebody’s family.
“You just walk in the door and they’re there for you and the only thing that they want from you is your love,” said Carter, whose family opened Carter’s Pet Mart in Stockton in 1990. “We understand those things so we’re able to relate to the customers that come into the store and are looking for that kind of service that you can’t find at some of the big box pet stores.
“It’s all about being able to relate to your customers and have that shared joy between you.”
After more than 25 years serving the Stockton community, Carter said that the time was right to start looking to expand the business into a neighboring community that had the same supportive base that have allowed the company to thrive since its inception.
With Manteca poised for a growth explosion the timing, he said, couldn’t have been better. But while more residents typically equal more customers, Carter said that the type of customers that they were looking for were in abundance in Manteca – a town that he said still had its “old school” ways while embracing growth and expansion.
Even the chosen location was strategic to be a part of the heart and the fabric of the community that has embraced the business since it opened in the middle of January.
“We had heard that Manteca was going to be bringing things in and growing and that’s always what you look for, but it’s also a unique town because it still that has old school way about it,” Carter said. “As a family owned and operated business we wanted to make sure that we expanded into an area that would appreciate that and family is an important part of what Manteca what it is.
“We want to offer the best products and service we possibly can to our customers and to allow them to forge those relationships with our employees where they walk in and ask for somebody by name – something you can’t do at very many big box locations.”
And that focus on family extends to the lines that the store carries as well – choosing to focus on family-owned and operated companies as opposed to massive national brands.
In addition to carrying pet staples like food, toys, snacks and supplies, Carter’s Pet Mart also carries a wide assortment of pets themselves including fish, reptiles, small birds and even cute furry things like rabbits.
Every Sunday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. the store offers a shot clinic for pets who need their vaccinations, and starting soon will be hosting adoption events with the local SPCA as well as other non-profit groups to ensure that animals find a quality home where they can be happy.
Carter’s Pet Mart is located at 510 N. Main Street and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For additional information visit www.carterspetmart.com or call 209.239.4071.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.