About Us

The idea of a pet supply store came to Jim & Joan Brown purely out of desperation. Neither had experience running a business, let alone a specialized retail business. Jim spent 27 years as a General Contractor and Joan was a stay at home mother in Minnesota. In 1974, he was transferred to his employer's southern division, spending a few years in Florida and ending up in Texas.

History

Hard work and personality are the only reason Pet Ranch exists today; the location and inexperience of owning a business, lent no reason for the store to flourish like it did! But Jim & Joan Brown opened the doors to the first Pet Ranch location on May 26, 1978 in Humble, at the corner of First and Charles Streets. In the early days, Pet Ranch specialized in AKC registered toy breed puppies in addition to pet supplies. Having only dealt with local reputable breeders, once puppy mills became more popular, they decided to stop selling puppies. In 1984, Pet Ranch opened a second location on Woodland Hills Drive in Kingwood.

In 1990, the Brown's decided to retire and sold the business to their daughter, Jan, and her husband, Kent. In the same year, Pet Ranch opened its 3rd, and current, location in Kings Crossing at the corner of Kingwood Drive and W. Lake Houston Parkway.

Spring of 1976, after getting the news that he would be transferred back to Minnesota, he and his wife and their kids, Jim and Jan, were sitting around the dinner table. They knew they did not want to go back to Minnesota, but if they stayed here, what were they going to do for work? What did they like? What were they good at? Joan threw out the idea of a pet store. They had friends in the Galleria area that owned a pet store and they got advice and help from them on how to get started, and the rest was history!

In August 2017, Pet Ranch took on 38 inches of water with Hurricane Harvey. It was three days before Jan & Kent could get into the store. Despite finding nearly everything destroyed, they knew there were people in the community that had nothing to take care of pets. So they started handing out undamaged necessities that people needed.

Jan and Kent briefly questioned whether Pet Ranch would reopen at all, given the devastation. But, over the next two weeks, they painstakingly shoveled out hundreds of pounds of wet dog food, damaged products and dead fish from the store with the help of some of their customers and the community. The love and support that they were shown in the weeks and months following Harvey, gave them no choice but to continue business in the community. They are endlessly grateful and in debt to the local community.

In 2018, they celebrated 40 years of service to the local pet community!

Jan & Kent

Kent was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area and moved to Houston in 1974. Jan had spent many years working for Hertz Rent-A-Car earning an executive position. In 1985, she left the corporate world and began managing the Pet Ranch store with her parents.

Kent met Jan in 1989 and they were married a year later. After he had spent 22 years in the retail industry, Kent joined the Pet Ranch family when he and Jan purchased the store from her parents, Jim & Joan, when they retired. In their free time, they enjoy bass fishing and spending time with their toy poodle, Cory.

Rowena

Originally from Essex, England, Rowena moved to New Jersey in 1991. After running a import/export business of books, with her husband for 14 years, they and their 3 children moved to Texas. Having spent 10 years in the retail industry, Rowena found her home here at Pet Ranch as a manager in 2014. One of her favorite jobs here is to find new, fun and exciting toys for us to carry. She spends her free time watching her youngest son play rugby and walking her three dogs.

Amber

Joining the Pet Ranch family in January 2019, Amber has spent many years in the pet industry. She moved to Texas from Illinois in August 2018 with her husband, Scott, their two boys and three dogs. Prior to moving, Amber spent four years working for a small pet business managing the grooming shop, working as a store attendant in the pet store as well as managing their social media and marketing. She has brought with her, a new life into our store. In addition to being a wealth of knowledge to our customers here in the store, she is also in charge of our social media and website. She enjoys her time off watching both of her boys play baseball and exploring their new surroundings here in Texas.

Laura

Coming Soon

Heather

Heather was born and raised in Virginia and grew up riding and showing horses. She moved to Texas in 2009 and enjoys spending time with her family and dogs. She joined the Pet Ranch family in the fall of 2020.

Meet the Groomers