A Coconut Creek store takes a healthy approach to pet food
Loving pet owners know that having a sick dog or cat can result in more than just heartache. Vet appointments, medications and follow-up visits can be draining—financially and emotionally.
Adrian Archie, owner and founder of Coconut Creek’s PetNmind, has a suggestion: Re-examine your pet’s diet.
“Many problems can be alleviated with better nutrition,” he explains. To that end, his shop, which he opened nearly a year ago, is stocked with holistic foods that Archie believes are key to the cure.
A pet enthusiast since childhood, Archie wanted to be a veterinarian, but life led him elsewhere. He studied psychology at the University of Richmond and sold medical devices for neuro-spine surgery. “I’ve always been a science and healthcare nut, but I wanted to get back to my passion for animals,” Archie says.
After spending 12 years in corporate America, he decided to open his own natural pet food store last year. A self-proclaimed “animal and people person,” this new direction made sense for him.
Archie says there’s confusion about the pet food options on the market. “You can shop at the supermarket, large pet store or big-box warehouse, but quality is not regulated—and quality matters,” he explains.
Archie attributes common pet ailments—skin conditions, digestive issues, decreased energy—to subpar food. He says the marketing of pet food is like that of human food, where the word “natural” is overused and sometimes inaccurate. “Grain-free foods can still contain fillers and preservatives,” Archie notes.
He emphasizes the importance of whole ingredients such as oats and quinoa over wheat gluten and soy, and stresses that real meat should be among the top three ingredients. Archie also says some supplements contain chemical additives, so customers should choose herbal supplements instead. “We won’t just point you to a bag of food and say ‘try that,’ but rather engage you in a real conversation as to what will truly be best for your particular animal,” Archie says.
Pets accompanying their owners to PetNmind will leave healthier and cleaner thanks to a “do-it-yourself” doggie wash, suitable for toy poodles and Great Danes alike. It’s a win-win for pets and their owners, since, as the store’s slogan goes: “Healthy pet, healthy you.”
PetNMind
Location: 6578 N. State Road 7, Coconut Creek
Hours: Monday-Friday: 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Contact: 954.420.1122; petnmind.com
