About us
Our History
Melzen Pet Supply is family owned and operated, now run by its 3rd and 4th generations. Our physical location has changed three times in the past 100 years.
In 1920, Stanley Melzen founded what we now call Melzen Pet Supply. Stanley immigrated from Poland in 1913 and entered America at Ellis Island. At our beginnings, we had a variety of names, including Melzen Grain Co., S. Melzen Feeds, andMelzen & Durdek. Our first location was Station 35 (the name for the “center” of Glastonbury at that time). We shared a building with a phone company which was upstairs from the feed store.
Although the date is unknown, we moved down the street to 167 Hebron Avenue (currently near the intersection of Hebron Avenue and New London Turnpike – next to the present day “The Diamond Pub & Grill”). This property housed our feed store, package store, The Glastonbury Flower Shop, and 2 homes. Stanley and his wife Mary raised 4 children here (Stella, Laura, Joseph, and Edward). As the town grew, the address was changed from 167 to 207 Hebron Avenue. Stanley also opened a store at 38 Main Street in Manchester, named North End Feed Stores.
Joseph Melzen, one of Stanley and Mary’s sons, grew up helping his parents with the family business. Born in 1922 and raised in Glastonbury, he graduated from Glastonbury High School in 1940. Joe served in WWII as an Army Medic. Upon his return home, ownership of the family business was passed on from his father Stanley. In 1949, Joe married Teresa (Lukach) Melzen and together raised 5 children (Joseph Jr., James, Mary, Kenneth, John). All of the children had some involvement in the family business while growing up. Joe Sr. was an active member in the Glastonbury community and brought the support of Melzen Pet Supply to many organizations including: GHS Vo-Ag, 4-H Clubs, Glastonbury Pony Club, Glastonbury Little League, Glastonbury Youth Football, Hartwell Soccer, and more. Joe was devoted to his family business, working up to the day he died on March 29, 2000.
On August 4, 1980, with the redevelopment of Glastonbury center, we relocated to our current home at 100 Oak Street. When the property was purchased, it included a house, a tobacco barn, and one of the last outhouses in Glastonbury. We constructed our current red building, which encompasses 8,800 square feet of retail and warehouse space. In our retail store, you can see some of the wood from the original tobacco barn. In 2006, we demolished the house near the road to gain more space and visibility for the store.
Currently, Melzen Pet Supply is owned and operated by three of Joe’s children: Ken, Jim, and John. Over the years, we have maintained our commitment to providing quality products at competitive prices. We have a passion for serving our customers and providing them with accurate and up-to-date information when it comes to caring for their pets, farm animals, birds, lawns, and gardens.
Our Staff
We pride ourselves on our extraordinary staff that is knowledgeable, honest, and helpful. As a team, we strive to inform and serve our customers and their animals (dog, cat, horse, cow, pig, goat, sheep, llama, chicken, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, yellow finch, cockatiel, parrot, or whatever creature it is that you care for). In addition to assisting you with animal nutrition, we are here to help with any lawn, garden, or seasonal needs. If there is a special item you are looking for, always ask us! If we are unable to order it for you we will direct you to where you can find it!
Our Customers
Without the support of our many long-time customers we would not be here today. As the retail culture in Glastonbury, and in the United States at large, shifted from a majority of small family-run specialty shops to large chain stores (offering everything but the kitchen sink), our loyal customer base has kept us as a pillar in this community. We thrive on the daily face-to-face interactions we share with our “regulars” and “newcomers” alike. We are beyond grateful for our faithful customers who have become more than just good friends over the years.
