Professionals Tamborine Mountain 
The name of Tamborine Mountain fixture The Pet Food Dude might be a little misleading, not in that it doesn’t supply quality food and supplies to mountain resident’s furry friends (which it does), but in that going on six years now it’s been owned by Robyn Johnson, who’s more than happy to share how she came to bear the title among her other experiences in creature catering.
by Kyle Hitchmough
How did you get started with Pet Food Dude?
I was a teacher originally, then I stopped, I needed something to keep me busy, and my second passion after children was animals. I knew this business was available so I made sure I got it!
What kind of pet foods do you sell? Any other products?
There’s dog and cat food, chook, guinea pig, mice and rat food… I don’t have any live animals aside from my shop cat! She keeps all the rodents away, which is wonderful. I also sell pharmaceuticals and accessories for animals.
Are there any particular brands you specialise in?
Australian- and New Zealand-made seem to be the best quality. Then after that, I still sell Royal Canin and Hills. I have them there for people who enjoy those. In cat food I have wet and dry, I have canned dog food, and for chooks I have Laucke and AGM, which seem to be the very best products, and all the accessories to go with those as well.
Are animals allowed in store?
Yes, and dogs always get treats. I very rarely get a cat in here, it’s mainly dogs of all sizes.
Do you have any notably bestselling items?
Frozen foods. The Big Dog seems to be a real goer now, people are looking for frozen, raw foods, so that’s the one that seems to be the bestseller as far as that’s concerned. I’m also getting lots of good feedback on Meals For Mutts, and the Vetalogica, I sell a lot of that. When I first started here I was promoting it, and it’s become one of my bestsellers now.
What goes into an average day working here for you?
Well, obviously the most important thing is serving customers. Lots of customers have questions, so making sure you answer them as accurately as you possibly can, they want to know all about the pharmaceuticals. Stacking shelves, itemising things, doing the invoicing, doing pricing, we sell a lot of treats so sourcing the treats that are healthy and then bagging them up and labelling them… all that sort of stuff! You’re busy all day.
Are you a local? What’s your opinion on the Tamborine Mountain area and community?
Oh yes! It’s a brilliant community. I couldn’t ask for more. They’re so accepting, so caring and generous. I love being up here. I used to be in Brisbane, so the country change has just been so positive for me. More laid back. Everybody looks after everybody, it’s just a nice community.
Is there anything you personally like to do on the mountain?
Just going up to see the hang gliders, that seems to be one of the things people do on a weekend, and I like to get up there as often as I possibly can. I like going out for meals, I love Spice of Life down here for the coffee, it’s a great place to be. With the business, it’s six days a week, so I have limited time and an older parent I’m looking after, so that limits my time as well.
What do you think Pet Food Dude really provides to the area?
For one, we haven’t got another pet food store up here, and it’s at least 22 kilometres down the mountain so they’ve got a long way to travel. A lot of people think that I’m expensive, but if they came into the store they would find that I sell at recommended retail price and below. They would get a bargain, whereas they’ve got wear and tear on their car and petrol prices before they’ve even gotten to the bottom of the mountain, and then they have to pay whatever price those companies are charging. I think people would be pleasantly surprised at what’s being sold in here and the price they can get it for.
What do you enjoy most about doing this?
My passion is animals, so I’m always trying to educate myself more on the types of animals that are around and trying to keep up with the pharmaceuticals and all the new products that are coming into vogue. Also, with shampoos, I recommend certain shampoos for sensitive skin and ones that help with tick prevention and stuff like that. I just genuinely want to try and give out as much information as I can to the customers.
Do you have any standout stories or memorable moments from your time here?
Every day is exciting because you don’t know who’s going to come in, which animals are going to be in here. Some dogs come in and they basically talk to me with their carryings on, trying to get a treat out of me! I think you become friends with the customers, because they’re regulars, they keep coming back, and you get to know them really well. I think that’s the exciting part for me, that you really get to know everybody. It’s just lovely.
Is there anything else you’d like to go on the record?
One thing— if I haven’t got it in stock and people ask for requests, I try to get it in within the week. I always try to help people out with whatever they need.
We are always looking for new topics for our blog. If there’s something you like to see more of, email your suggestions to: social@professionalsserendipity.com.au, or email the writer at kyle.hitchmough@hotmail.com.
