Gifts For Veterinarians

Talking Business: Gift Garden closing after over 20 years

Colleen Hill has worked her dream job for more than two decades.

As a child, when her friends pretended they were doctors, veterinarians or firefighters, Hill always imagined she was a simple shopkeeper.

"I always played ‘gift shop.' I don't know why," said Hill, who opened the Gift Garden in downtown Longview in the late 1980s.

This week, Hill decided to end her dream, at least for the time being. She said she's closing the Gift Garden, one of the oldest businesses in the Merk, to spend more time with her 93-year-old mother.

"It's a sad thing. Between the customers and ourselves, we have tears every day," said Hill, 60 of Kelso.

After working 15 years at Fred Meyer, Hill quit her job in the late 1980s to open the Gift Garden with a friend, who later backed out of the business. The Three Rivers Mall in Kelso had recently opened, and Hill said she was grateful for Merk owners John and Mary Chilson for taking a chance on her business on the first floor of the shopping center at 1339 Commerce Ave.

The Gift Garden is geared toward women, selling greeting cards, picture frames, home decorations and other gift items. The store couldn't compete with big box stores in terms of volume and price, but Hill said customer service kept her in business for 22 years.

"We want customers to feel comfortable coming in. They can go anywhere to get gifts. We really want them to know we appreciate them coming in," she said.

Gift Garden has three part-time employees. Lisa Hill and Barb Cowan have worked at the shop for about 10 years each, and Susie Coopers has been an employee for about seven years.

Hill said she needs now to focus on moving her mother and selling her home, and she would like later to reopen another business in the Merk.

Last week, the Gift Garden held a 60 percent liquidation sale, and Hill said she has some items left this week.

"It someone wants to buy something, we're not going to say no," Hill said.

Call the Gift Garden at 577-0979 for more information.

Bottom lines

• Longview Fibre Paper and Packaging has realigned its leadership team to focus on growth and meeting customer needs, according to a company press release.

As part of the change, the company announced several new positions.

Loosbrock has been the sales and marketing vice president since coming to Longview in 2009. Before that, he worked for Nalco Company. He brings 30 years of experience in leading sales and operations divisions.

How to look for an exotic pet vet? | Day Economic 8

When looking for a pet think of how much time and dedication you have for walking it, feeding it, and all the other responsibilities that come along with owning a pet. If you don’t want to be involved in all of the responsibilities being a pet owner entails then you should reconsider buying a pet to haul along with you on outings just to make you look cool.How to look for an exotic pet vet?Pets are nice to have around because they keep their owners happy and provide them with companionship. There are people who prefer common pets like dogs and cats. However, there are also people who opt for strange and exotic pets.Where would you get exotic pets for sale ?Exotic pets are just like the other animals around but they are just strange to look at and to deal with especially if they are living close to the habitat of man. Exotic pets are called such because they aren’t commonly seen within the human environment.Adventurous people prefer to take care of exotic pets like big lizards, iguanas, alligators, and big snakes. Strange as it may seem, these pets keep them company and sometimes not inside the pet cages but even in the privacy and luxury of their own homes.Owning an exotic pet can be quite difficult as they entail a different kind of care compared to common pets. Exotic pets are also more expensive to take care of because of their food and living requirements. Most exotic pets are best left in the wildlife where they can take care of each other but when a person brings home an exotic pet, he must make sure that the pet is well taken care of by a veterinarian.

Before you go to the local pet shop and bring home a furry friend, think about your specific needs and wants about having a pet.Veterinarians can be relied on to take care of common pets but how does one choose a veterinarian for his exotic pet? There are many veterinarians but only a few who are considered experts in taking care of exotic pets. Maybe because taking care of common pets like dogs and cats is much more productive as most people have them for pets rather than exotic pets.Exotic pets are sometimes given to children as gifts. However, children should be educated on how to take care of their pets. As always, there should be a veterinarian the child can call when seeking advice for his exotic pet.Among the exotic pets that are commonly given to children as gifts are guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, gerbils, mice, Madagascar hissing cockroaches and leopard geckos. Most of these exotic pets are quite easy to handle and require uncomplicated care. They are also generally safe to handle although children should also be advised to exercise caution in handling these exotic pets and to seek the assistance of a veterinarian when necessary.It is important to develop a good relationship with the family veterinarian especially those with exotic pets. It is hard to find veterinarians with expertise on exotic pets so once you find the right one, it is wise to keep him. There may be several veterinarians in the area but those specializing in exotic pets can rarely be found. To be sure that you have adequate protection for an exotic pet, it is best to seek a veterinarian specializing in exotic pet care first before buying the exotic pet.

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