I couple of months ago one of the local pet shops closed down. I really feel sorry for them, because besides competing with another pet shop in town – it also had to compete with a Spar, Pick n Pay, Checkers and a large hardware store. Obviously these larger stores do not keep the fish, birds and other live pets – just the constant sellers, the food, toys and health products. Because they are much bigger they have better prices – but without the live animals the market would get a whole lot smaller – and now there is one less supplier in town.

This also happens with stationery – as the new year starts, every second shop is a stationer including places like clicks.

It irks me that guys that should get their dues often don’t, the big boys jump in to take there cut.