Bruno’s Pets: Celebrating 40 fabulous years

Bruno’s Pets started in Kingsthorpe, Northampton with Jeremy and Jackie Hunt. Over the years, Bruno’s had a store at Kingsley Park Terrace, one in Harlestone Garden Centre (before it was redeveloped), one at The Westgate Centre, one in St. Leonards Road, a Parrot Warehouse in Ross Road and one at Billing Garden Village. Bruno’s is now situated within the award winning garden centre, at Whilton Locks Garden Village.

Bangers and Class

Prior to pets, Jeremy was a butcher and Jackie a teacher. Jackie says: “It was in the good old days when shops didn’t open on Sundays! Jeremy worked in the week and I worked on Saturdays and after school. The staff, the ladies wore brown smocks and the gents all wore ties. When we started there were 21 pet shops in and around Northampton - now there are just a handful.”

Today, Bruno’s (named after a family pet, of course) is also one of only a few pet shops which has actual animals on site. They range from hamsters to rabbits, birds to fish and even reptiles!

I Remember!

Online, as part of Bruno’s 40th year memories from customers, Flash Warden says “I still remember buying a rabbit from the pens at the front of your store in Kingsthorpe.”

Jackie takes up the story: “I remember the pens out of the front of the shop, although we did have a complaint one day that the tortoise didn’t have any water - it was a stone ornament just to make the pen look full!”

Bruno’s has changed a lot throughout the years, but many things are cyclical. For instance, dog feeding preferences changing from raw, to kibble and back to the current trend of raw.

The 40 years milestone is an incredible achievement, Jeremy beams: “Some of our original staff are still with us and many of their kids have worked with us too!”

So to Celebrate?

A party. A pet-acular party on the weekend of July 5 and 6.

Daughter Ashleigh, says: “We’d love to invite you all to come and celebrate 40 fabulous years of Bruno’s at Whilton Locks.

Visitors can enjoy:

• Free Cuddle/Meet the Animals event
• Free goody bag
• Free pupcake for your four-legged friends who visit
• Free lollies for pet owners.

Amazing weekend offers not to be missed and so much more!

It’s free to park and enter at Whilton Locks Garden Village so just pop in furry while and join in the fun! It starts at 10am.

And the next ​40 years?

Bruno’s is on the move AGAIN - but not very far! Still within the site of Whilton Locks Garden Village, the next phase of the Bruno’s story is a brand new bespoke building. Plans are complete and spades in the ground are due to start very soon.

Congratulations to Bruno’s!