Exploring Simon Sez Pets
Get to know Richard Simons a bit and you will quickly discover a gentle, knowledgeable businessman with a love for animals. The owner of Simon Sez Pets encourages visitors to come see him for the experience of meeting the animals as much as for buying pet supplies.
When you open the door at 77 Main Street in Westfield, you may be greeted by Taz the ferret or Rosie the hedgehog and her family.
Simon Sez Pets, also known as The Biggest Little Pet Store in Town, offers pet
supplies, food, and lots of knowledge. You will also find live critters such as reptiles, small animals like hamsters, and fish. “We tend to carry animals that no one else has,” notes Richard. Recent pets include chinchillas, a snow leopard gecko, a blue-tongued skink, and axolotls. “We’re an old-fashioned pet store,” says Richard, “With all of the signs, sounds, and smells. There’s a lot of interaction here. I’d like to see more people enjoy the experience of visiting the pets.”
Richard is a Westfield native whose father was an employee of Westfield Gas + Electric for more than 30 years. After graduating from Westfield High School, Richard joined the Air Force and served for more than 20 years, including an assignment in Thailand during the Vietnam War. His retirement from the service landed him in California, where his first job was managing a pet store. He moved into pet supply sales, traveling his territory with a pet dachshund as a companion.
Family needs eventually brought Richard back to Westfield, where he became the Northeast representative for the same company that employed him in California.
These days, you are as likely to find Richard in front of the store as indoors. “I’ll sit out front with the ferret and visit with passersby,” he says. Stop by and explore Simon Sez Pets. You just might make a new friend!
"There’s a lot of interaction here. I’d like to see more people enjoy the experience of visiting the pets."