John Chan, the owner of Pet Central in Chinatown, not too long ago decided to retire immediately after 40 years of operating at his household-owned enterprise. In order to obtain a new owner for the retailer, Chan posted an ad on the Nextdoor app, stating that he was hunting for somebody who loves animals and was prepared to take care of the retailer. Though the retailer itself was not no cost, with Chan hoping to recoup his investment in inventory, valued at around $120,000, he set the asking cost at $. Right after his story aired on the news, Chan received an overwhelming response with hundreds of applications pouring in from all more than the planet.

The reputation of Chan’s story grew swiftly, with Nextdoor calling him and urging him to post an update as his story became the major post on their platform for a week. Locally, men and women have been interested, but quickly the story spread to other states like Texas and Missouri. Right after yet another week, men and women from other nations like Singapore and Canada have been emailing Chan, expressing their interest in taking more than Pet Central. Regardless of the quantity of applications he received, Chan took his time to meticulously choose the ideal candidate. Ultimately, he identified Christopher Blake, a former teamster with a passion for animals and a individual connection to Pet Central. Blake and his partners, who also grew up in Chinatown, have been the best match to carry on Chan’s legacy.

For Blake, maintaining the retailer was a way to honor his father, who had passed away throughout the pandemic. He felt like he had won the golden ticket, referring to himself as Willy Wonka. As for Chan, he is currently arranging his 1st trip in 15 years and is grateful for the focus his story received.