A longtime Jefferson City pet supply staple, CJ's Pet Corral, has reopened with limited retail hours after a year in the kennel.
Owner CJ Weadick closed the pet shop's former location in Jefferson Plaza on Missouri Boulevard last January, but now is open for business on Fridays only at 913 Leslie Blvd. Suite H. Weadick plans to expand the business hours soon, but the narrowed retail time and more out-of-the-way location reflect a new focus for the animal enthusiast, who is also a nationally-accredited reptile breeder.
"This is my 20th year in the pet industry. I opened my first store in 1994. Opening a pet store opened a furthered interest for me in the reproductive biology of cold-blooded pets," Weadick said. "The retail is in addition to a breeding facility. But it's not any less significant to me, because I love all the people I'm doing business with. I set this location up to service them, to take care of them, because they couldn't get it anywhere else.
He owns two breeding facilities in addition to the pet store, where he breeds snakes and other reptiles he ships internationally, largely through use of the shop's website, cjspets.com.
"I have personally kept over 150 different species of reptiles and amphibians," Weadick said. "I specialized in ball pythons. I have over 400 of them, and some of the rarest on the planet that only a handful of people may even own."
CJ's Pet Corral specializes in pets including captive-bred reptiles, saltwater fish and coral, as well as supplies for those and other types of pets, such as cats and dogs.
"Basically anything that they need for a pet can be called to order," Weadick said. "If they've got a monkey or they've got an alpaca, it's really a click of a mouse for me to get that diet for them."
Once he finishes setting up tanks and moving some animals to the store, Weadick will determine what hours he plans to be open for business at CJ's Pet Corral. The shop currently is open from noon-6 p.m. every Friday.