After months of preparation, BK’s Reptiles and Zoo recently opened at the corner of Grand Avenue and 16th Street in Grover Beach, featuring tortoises, snakes, birds and other animals.
Owner Andrew Barton says it has been a dream 20 years in the making and the Grover Beach community has welcomed the new business with open arms.
“We hope to have tourists," Barton said. "But on a daily basis, our business relies on locals.”
Part of the space is a store dedicated to selling what’s needed to keep one of these animals. If you’re planning on buying a black throat monitor, you might have to set your sights on something a little smaller. Only more common animals like geckos are available for now.
Because of the split use, being both a store and a zoo, no special permitting was needed.
To buy something for your reptile or start your own habitat, it’s free to come inside. If you’re set on exploring the zoo side of the store, it costs $13 for visitors over 12.
“Some people want to bring animals home, and that's great," Barton said. "But some people and some parents just want to come and see the animals, so we give people the opportunity to, if they want and if they have the space, they can buy a reptile here. If they don't have the space or don't have the responsibility to take an animal, they can come and check them out.”
Barton said his family loves to help out.
“My kids are here every chance they get, just to be able to feed the animals, hang out, put a little lanyard on and look official," he said.
The store is open Wednesdays through Mondays.
