Jan’s Tropics and Elegant Pooch to end Carson City run in November

There’s always been that sound when one walks into Jan’s Tropics and Elegant Pooch. That sound of fish tanks percolating. But after 53 years, that sound will come to an end.

A Carson City institution for more than five decades, Jan’s Tropics and Elegant Pooch will end its run as Suzanne Huttman, owner of the business, has decided to retire. The business has been located in the same iconic brick building, 1000 Corbett St., for 45 years, but Huttman said she’s ready to end her run.

“I’m ready to move on and just retire from everything I’m doing,” Huttman said.

For the next two months the business will still do what it’s always been doing and that’s selling fish and koi and other small animals and the food and supplies that go with them along with providing a full grooming service for dogs and cats. The last day for the retail portion of the business will be Nov. 1 while the last day for the business to provide pet grooming will be Nov. 22.

Huttman runs the business with her son, Nick Huttman. Suzanne runs the grooming portion in the back of the building while Nick runs the retail side in the front of the building.

Suzanne said she’s placed the building on the market to be sold.

Suzanne’s mother, Jan Rispin, who died in 2013, began the business in 1964 and operated from several downtown area places before settling on the current location in 1972.

Along with fish and koi the business has sold “any kind of rodent you can think of” from mice to rats to hamsters to guinea pigs to lizards and snakes. But no matter how small the animal, Suzanne said she would “always make sure all of the animals had a good home.”

Even anglers would come into the shop looking for bait such as minnows. Suzanne said one customer bought crickets for fly fishing.

Over the years, the store even featured Jet the raccoon and a monkey.

Suzanne said the store has always been “family-oriented. We’ve got a lot of great customers. The clientele has been great. The people have been wonderful.”

Jennifer Schultz has been working as a pet groomer at the location for 24 years and says she plans to go out on her own grooming pets. “I’ve liked it, it’s like family,” said Schultz about what it’s been like to work there.

With the help of Jennifer, Suzanne said her business has been providing a full line of grooming needs from head to toe.

Nick said he plans to return to college. “Everybody’s been very supportive,” he said. “We’re going to miss it some, but it’s going to be a relief also no longer having to take care of all this stuff. There’s a lot of people you know who have been coming here forever.

For information on Jan’s Tropics and Elegant Pooch, call 882-5659 or 882-4928.