North Cook News

After months of protests outside his store and complaints brought to the Village of Lincolnwood board, pet shop owner Ken Bearmann addressed the board and defended his store at the board's Nov. 15 meeting.

“Most reviews of my store from real customers are five stars despite an active and targeted campaign against us,” Bearmann, owner of The Animal Store in Lincolnwood, said. “It's worth remembering that I am an employer in this community. I give people jobs and I've added another staff member since we last met. I have shown my commitment to this community with substantial, expensive improvements towards sustainability, including LED lighting, thermal pane glass windows, programmable thermostats. We are now planning on additional improvement of a $75,000 aquarium system that will be more energy efficient. These improvements are important to the store, the community and the environment. They cost money and are dependent on us having the income to support them.”

The village board has received comments from multiple members of the community about the pet store. Protesters asked the board to hold the store strictly to village code and ordinances over the keeping and selling of “naturally wild” animals. There was particular concern over a 40-some-year-old tortoise kept in the store named Spur.

Bearmann also brought in the veterinarian that takes care of Spur and monitors his health to prove that the tortoise was completely healthy. He also complained about the protesters that stand outside his store and harass his customers. He informed the board and community that he had been running his business in the community for 30 years and has never had a single problem or violation, citing plenty of community support from customers and staff.

Activists Jody Whitaker and Jose Perez later spoke to the board, asking them to enforce the village law prohibiting citizens from keeping naturally wild animals and help them free Spur from the shop. They also asked the board to require the store to show where it gets its animals to prove it is not supporting any unethical breeders.

The board will meet again at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the Council Chambers on 6900 North Lincoln Ave.