The first time you see Squishy, the initial inclination is to step back.
Sure, Squishy is cute. She's white and gray, furry and friendly and will usually scamper over to you to say hello without any prompting as you approach the counter at PetGuy Central on Lafayette Avenue. The problem most people have with Squishy, well, is that she's a rat, albeit a cute one.
The point is that you can find the most unexpected things, or creatures, at Pet Guy Central with owner Phill London holding your hand every step of the way. He's not just there to sell you bird food or exotic fish. He's also there to educate and help break down stereotypes. So, once you actually meet Squishy, the stereotype regarding rats is completely destroyed.
London could be one of the most underrated businessmen in the Village and not just because he plays with rats. He's got a way with people and an even better way with animals. His personality is one that is easy to like and one that allows a customer to be comfortable while holding a rat, a lizard or a snake.
This doesn't come as much of a surprise to the people who know London. He'll be celebrating his second anniversary as the owner of Pet Guy Central in March. Owning the store is all he's ever wanted to do with his life and the love he has for his animals and his business is clearly evident. London, 27, has been working at pet stores since he was 13, first in Nanuet and then New City. Before opening Pet Guy Central he even operated a pet store out of his house.
"I just like animals," London said. "It kind of started in the Boy Scouts. It was easy to learn a lot about animals and plants. I'd go to the park and pick up turtles and snakes, stuff like that. And after a while some of them started breeding. I started selling stuff out of my house like a pet store.
"This is what I always wanted to do when I was a kid. For a while I wanted to be a vet. Being here, though, I get to deal with only happy, healthy animals. Most of the problems I encounter are fixable and if they are big I send my customers to a vet."
London's specialty is reptiles, so much so that he's even had some area veterinarians consult with him on occasion. A quick walk through his shop will bear witness to his love of all things reptilian with several lizards roaming free or hanging out on shelves or fish tanks.
While he'll sell just about anything, London says he won't sell dogs or cats because it's not fair to them or the other animals to keep them in the store. He has sold some bizarre creatures, though, including a Malaysian redheaded centipede, which happens to be highly venomous.
"Their venom destroys muscle tissue," London said. "I had one guy that actually wanted to buy it and we had it here for six months before he could convince his wife to let him take it home. He said he saw a video of it on YouTube and it got him interested. It was interesting watching it eat a mouse but it was gross and creepy at the same time."
London doesn't really have full-time employees working with him per se. Rather, he has volunteers who help out around the store. One such "volunteer" is his girlfriend Samantha Brown, who can be found almost at any time in the store, taking care of Squishy and the rest of the menagerie. Like London, she is personable and charming and clearly has a gift for working with animals.
Pet Guy Central also has a volunteer program for people who simply want to help. There are several children and teenagers in town that hang out at the store and help, a setup that's beneficial to all parties. The kids learn, London gets some help and the animals become accustomed to human contact.
"It really helps us socialize the animals," London said. "That's why most of the animals are friendly. I wish the pet store I went to when I was younger did this. I wish they would have let us help out."
Perhaps one day one of London's young proteges will own a pet store of their own. Until then, there's always Squishy to play with and learn from.
Free two-hour parking is available on the street in the Village while the Parking Authority's lots are free for three hours. The Chestnut Avenue lot and the Orange Avenue lots are the closest to Pet Guy Central.
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