Many of you might know that your dear publishers, me, Amy Singleton & my hubby Joseph, have a gi-normous Great Dane named Doc.

We got Doc during a really hard time of our lives. I was super depressed, & I knew from growing up with Danes that these big, happy-go-lucky guys just couldn’t be ignored. (e.g. he would keep me moving.) Little did I know the health problems this poor guy would have. After years of trying different medications, foods from that one Mart for Dogs, & loads of suggestions from professionals, we wandered into Hollywood Feed on S. Penn in Oklahoma City on the suggestion of a friend.

Upon entering, we found that it’s much more than just a pet supply store; they’re a partner in pet care. Store Manager Sarah let us browse around a bit, taking in all the beautiful displays, & asked us how she could help. She intently listened to all the things we’d been through & tried with Doc & his skin and hair issues, and she made a food change suggestion, assuring us we could return the food and it would be donated to a shelter if it wasn’t the right fit! She walked us through how to make the transition. It took a few different foods, but we finally found something that worked for our House Cow, and now his food gets delivered by their friendly staff (FOR FREE) twice a month.

We were so blown away by their initial and ongoing service that I wanted to know more. I asked Sarah how the store got started, and I was even more hooked into their story. I knew you guys would want to know all about this great company.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the Vice President of Store Operations, Christa Gilliland, to learn more about Hollywood Feed’s commitment to pet health and customer satisfaction that’s palpable throughout everything they do: which is WAY more than just selling dog food and toys.

Christa Gilliland – Vice President, Store Operations

The whole thing started when the now-owner, Sean McGhee, was standing in a Big Box store with 2 bags of dog food, one on each shoulder. He looked around and saw what huge lines there were—only one register open, nobody smiling or helping anyone. He sat the bags down and thought, “There has to be a better way!” He found his way to a little local pet store in Memphis that was started during the 1950s, Hollywood Feed, and struck up a deal to turn it into something bigger that would serve more people who wanted & deserved better service for their pets.

Hollywood Feed has grown to over 170 locations. Despite this growth, the South OKC store retains its neighborhood charm and personal touch. “It’s been thrilling to see our growth from 23 to over 170 stores,” Christa shares, echoing a sentiment of community amidst expansion. They maintain an integrated company culture, which is a huge part of their success, Christa admitted. “Each local community comes first, then their employees, then the company, and it’s always been like that.”

Putting the community first is at the core of Hollywood Feed’s mission, ensuring decisions benefit customers, employees, and the broader community in that order. This approach shines through in their personalized customer service, which I have the pleasure of experiencing on behalf of that beloved Great Dane, Doc. After numerous trials to find the right food for Doc’s allergies, the team’s patience and guidance exemplified their commitment to customer care.

I asked how they manage to staff the growing locations with phenomenal people like Sarah, our local manager, & the rest of her incredible team. Christa says that MANY of Hollywood Feed’s team members were once customers, drawn by their own positive experiences and a desire to contribute to a business that values both pets and people. This unique pipeline ensures profound product knowledge and a passion for service, reinforced by over 40 hours of annual training for each staff member.

But WAIT… There’s MORE… This pet & people loving bunch takes it a step further and makes their staff trainings (and many more) available to everyone as Hollywood Feed University, an online resource for the public. This innovative online platform offers a wide array of seminars and training courses that cover diverse topics related to pet care, from nutrition and health to behavior and even pet grief counseling, which is one of their most popular courses. I think I might need to log into that one after finishing this article. My 15-year-old Shih-Tzu has been acting more than her sweet old age lately…

Whether you’re a first-time pet owner or a seasoned pet parent, Hollywood Feed University provides valuable insights to enhance your pet’s well-being and deepen your understanding of their needs. But if you’re not tech savvy, it’s okay too, because their friendly and helpful staff is ready any time you walk through their doors.

During the pandemic, Hollywood Feed pivoted quickly when most businesses froze. Sean came to the team one day with the idea to buy 100 cards to institute same-day delivery for their customers nationwide to ensure pets and their owners received necessary supplies without delay. (Hey, that’s where all the cars went in 2020, lol.)

“We rolled out same day delivery in Memphis in 2017. We just had it in Memphis when the pandemic hit. Sean, with his forward thinking brain, was like, ‘OK,
well, what are we going to do?’ So he turned around and we ended up buying almost 100 cars and rolling out same-day delivery to the stores that we had that could support it. Wild, right? Like, if you really
think about that; it’s one that we could even source that many cars in the height of a
Pandemic.”

Each local community comes first, then their employees, then the company.
christa

One of the best parts about this business, maybe, is that it’s ALL done by their team. From the daily delivery to the over-the-road truckers, to their centralized warehouse & the local store teams. They only partner with the very best for products, too.

Each product on Hollywood Feed’s shelves meets rigorous safety and quality standards, a testament to their promise of excellence. “We partner with suppliers who share our commitment to quality,” says Christa, ensuring every item reflects the store’s values. “it’s a pretty intense, stringent process. Over the years, we continue to get tons and tons of requests from people that want to put their products
in our stores. But there’s some stuff that we just don’t budge on.”

Looking ahead, Hollywood Feed remains dedicated to maintaining the close-knit community feel that has been crucial to their success.

“No matter how much we grow, the health and happiness of pets and their owners will always be our priority,”
Christa

I can tell you that they’ve found a loyal customer in the Singleton family.

To get in touch with Hollywood Feed, check out their featured business profile below. You can also find them on social media here:

Amy Singleton is a contributing author and online editor for Whirlocal South OKC, Moore, and Norman. She’s the host of the Queen Lead Podcast, a motivational & marketing keynote speaker, and the CEO at HITE.