Perk Valley Pet Eatery Aims to Provide Products for Your Furry, Finned and Feathered Friends

By Christine Mawhinney Lark
Patch Contributor

Trappe is home to a very unique business called the (PVPE)  Located on Main Street, the Pet Eatery is a haven for pet lovers who are looking to find the best of the best for their pets.

Owners Gordon and Sue Kriebel sell the finest quality dog and cat foods for those who seek the healthiest food and treats for their companion.

“We understand that special bond you have with your pet,” Kriebel said. “That’s why we are dedicated to providing your pet with the best possible options for proper nutrition. With most of our focus on holistic pet nutrition, we offer a wide selection of top quality dog and cat foods to help your pet stay healthy and happy.”

According to Kriebel, customer service is the top priority at Perk Valley Pet Eatery. The friendly staff is always available to help match your pet with the proper food for its nutritional needs, and any other conditions which may require special attention.

The business is not only dedicated to nutrition for your cat and dog, but it has a great selection of toys and treats to accompany its healthy array of pet foods.

The Kriebels, who have two dogs, three cats and a rabbit of their own, opened the business in October of 2003. 

“At that time, we were launching the second of a two-store retail chain, which we started in 1997,” Kriebel said. “Our initial name for our store was Trappe Feed and Pet Supply, which we duplicated from our original store, Lansdale Feed andPet Supply. We opened this store to give us a second location in a new and growing market in western Montgomery County, which is our home.”

In November of 2005, the Kriebels decided to sell the first store and to devote all of their attention to the Trappe store.

“As we grew, we determined a need to refocus our business on the dog and cat food industry,” Kriebel said. “The best advantage in our market was to market and sell the finest quality dog and cat foods, which we found to be our key in gaining customers who wanted the very best for their pets.”

In October of 2009, the Kriebels decided to change the name of their business to Perk Valley Pet Eatery, which better reflects the business’ main objectives. 

According to Kriebel, the business has continued to grow, even in tough economic times.

“We feel we have succeeded in our market because we listened to what our customers wanted, and we stock and sell a wide variety of quality pet products to support our customer base,” Kriebel said. “We are active in the community, and each year host a large event called Barktoberfest, which has evolved into a pet fair, including manufacturer reps, rescues groups, entertainment, food and prizes.”

Barktoberfest is the store's largest event of the year. This year, the all-day event is moving to the Water Works Park located behind the Trappe Shopping Center.

This summer, the business will also host a series of dog walks on the Perkiomen Trail for a fun time out with the dog.

Beyond the large selection of pet foods, PVPE stocks natural treat items, toys, supplies, raw frozen foods, dog bakery treats, wild birdseed, and much more. They do not offer grooming or dog day care services, but have contacts with these local providers to recommend to their clients.

“PVPE is the kind of store that you can rely on for personal service and attention in a time when that is becoming hard to find at the local chain stores,” Kriebel said. “We also have two cat cages that are filled with kitties from Spay & Save cat rescue. We don't sell pets at PVPE, but love to see our customers' pets come through the door.”

PVPE often offers nutrition seminars because providing the community with the best knowledge on how to keep their pets healthy is the business's top priority. 

The Perk Valley Pet Eatery can be found on Facebook. Its website is about to expand to provide even more pet-related information, coupons and fun stuff. 

PVPE offers many ways for customers to save money. Besides the coupons on the website, the store has an email club, which provides subscribers with additional coupons as well as information about promotions, events and pet food recalls if any of their products are involved. 

“We also have two "club cards" which can earn customers fun things like prizes, gift certificates and the opportunity to win free food for a year,” Kriebel said.  “We are a fun and friendly place to shop and definitely worth the extra stop. Our prices are very competitive with the big box pet stores. PVPE is a local business that can save you money, help you with your pet issues, and provide quality pet food for your four-legged friends.”