PetCentral is an extremely popular and busy pet store, the two times I was there, there were half a dozen receipts rung up by the cash register waiting to be delivered, with customers coming every few seconds to have sales rung up, but there is no waiting to have the sales rung up, because Stefanos Tsartsalis, the General Manager, and his wonderful assistant Willliam, multi-task like there is no tomorrow! Also he offers the rewards system like Petco has. The telephone number of the store is 212-663-9160, but the best way to work with the store is by emailing Stefanos at stefanos@petcentralnyc.com. You can try calling the store, but he works in different stores til 8:00 or 8:30 PM every day, except Sundays, but if he is not there, ask the person who answers the phone to have Stefanos or William, who is also very helpful and knowledgable, call you right back. If they say he/they is/are off or out of town, just email Stefanos re your needs and you will have his response by return email!
I became a customer of the store on off the corner of West 100th and Broadway, in the middle of April, 2013, because I was desperate for a slow-release feeder for my very young Himalayan kitten. Previously I had been a customer of Petco on Lexington off of E. 86th Street for many years, but their customer service on the phone is abyssmal, I tried calling them many times about the feeder, only to be told that the managers or people who worked in that department were always on break! The teenagers who answer the phone don't have a clue about anything that is sold in the store and don't want to be bothered to help callers.
Stefanos was the only person on the Upper East or West Sides who could have it for me by the time I arrived at his store, one hour after I called. But first he emailed me photos of both the larger and smaller slow-release feeders. The smaller stores on the UES (on First between E. 87th and E. 88th said they were no longer made, and the store on First Avenue between East 81th and East 82nd Streets said they had them for $125 but they would not match Stefanos' price. (Also when I arrived at the store, they said I would have to wait a minimum of two hours for one to be delivered to the store to look at, after they told me they had them in stock!!)
This slow-release feeder is only $99.99 (with five different fresh meals) and has been a life-saver as I work long hours and have a long commute. It beats paying someone to come in everyday to feed the kitten, or having the kitten cry which would alert the super and landlord that I have a new kitten.
Since that time,I have ordered two sizeable deliveries from Stefanos by email, both came within minutes of the time he said they would come, no waiting for a big window of time. Also he arranged for them to be delivered later than they normally delivered, because of my difficult schedule.. Stefanos even sent me twocatnips (about 5 in each packet) on the house for my cats to try which they liked very much and which I will definitely purchase with my next order in about 10 days' time. His delivery man, even brought to the door of my apt a 14 lb bag of Fresh Step and a 5 lb bag of Wellness Core, along with many heavy cans of wet food. Two days ago, I emailed him about mice and cat balls, he promptly responded that he is awaiting a shipment any moment and will email me photos and prices as soon as they arrive. When I went to pick up the feeder, I asked Stefanos about prices of things I need for my cats: Wellness wet Chicken and Herring, 5.5 oz and 3 oz, cans, dental treats, and toys, everything was considerably cheaper than Petco and these smaller UES stores.
Stefanos has such gifted customer service skills, he makes every email he sends or conversation that I sustain with him, such an enormous pleasure and always treats me like a Rockefeller even though I am the working poor. I very highly -- and without reservation -- recommend PetCentral and Stefanos Tsartsalis to all petowners on the UES or UWS, he may deliver to other greater distances. Also there are a numbef PetCentral stores in New York, which Stefanos also manages, and I would wager are every bit as good as the one with which I do business just off the corner of West 100th and Broaday, and for sure they must deliver at no charge, too.
The only bad thing I can say about the store, is that I wanted to buy an ant deterrent for my slow-release feeder and Stefanos didn't carry them, so he "forced" me to go back to Petco near 86th and Lex to get one! But I emailed Stefanos the website of the outfit that makes these ant-deterrents, since it is "ant season," so now he knows how to get them for his customers!
Very content and grateful catowner! read more
