John Chen, owner of Pet Central in Chinatown, lately decided to retire following 40 years at his loved ones enterprise. To obtain a new owner for the retailer, Chen posted an ad on the Nextdoor app, saying he was searching for a person who loved animals and was prepared to take care of the retailer. While the retailer itself was not cost-free, and Chen hoped to recoup his investment in inventory, valued at around $120,000, he set the asking cost at $. Soon after his story aired on the news, Chen received an overwhelming response with hundreds of submissions coming in from about the planet.
The reputation of Chen’s story grew swiftly, and Nextdoor referred to as him and invited him to post an update simply because his story became the major post on their platform for a week. Locally, folks have been interested, but quickly the story spread to other states like Texas and Missouri. Soon after a further week, folks from other nations like Singapore and Canada have been emailing Chan, expressing interest in taking more than Pet Central. In spite of the quantity of applications he received, Chen took the time to meticulously choose the suitable candidate. He ultimately identified Christopher Blake, a former driver with a passion for animals and a individual connection to Pet Central. Blake and his partners, who also grew up in Chinatown, have been great to carry on Chan’s legacy.
For Blake, tending the retailer was a way to honor his father, who passed away throughout the pandemic. He felt like he had won a golden ticket, calling himself Willy Wonka. As for Chen, he’s currently arranging his very first holiday in 15 years and is grateful for the focus his story has received.