Boek-el-ZOO

Boek-el-ZOO Seven years ago, I began this journey and have loved every minute of it.
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Look what just came in!Glow in the dark bracelets!$2.00 @ or 1 FREE with $100 purchase!
09/03/2025

Look what just came in!
Glow in the dark bracelets!
$2.00 @ or
1 FREE with $100 purchase!

Let's kick off Homestead weekend at the store by offering 10% storewide all weekend. See you starting at noon! Say HI to...
09/03/2025

Let's kick off Homestead weekend at the store by offering 10% storewide all weekend. See you starting at noon! Say HI to Gus on the way in.
Check out some of the cool critters I have for sale, plus cool new merchandise!
And don't forget to go to the post and vote for your favorite artwork for the coloring contest!

CHALK THE WALK!!As Homestead Festival approaches, I want the storefront to be inviting! I always leave Chalk out front f...
09/01/2025

CHALK THE WALK!!
As Homestead Festival approaches, I want the storefront to be inviting! I always leave Chalk out front for budding artists, but I thought I'd be more intentional with my invitation this week. Draw me a picture. Leave me a message. There will be hundreds of people on Main Street this weekend and I want them to be aware of the store, so in your travels this week, add to the fun! Id bet Bob Schirmer and Sisler's Ice Cream wouldn't mind if you beautified their sidewalks too!

I want to thank everyone who submitted a picture for the Homestead Festival contest. The entries will be hanging in the ...
09/01/2025

I want to thank everyone who submitted a picture for the Homestead Festival contest. The entries will be hanging in the front window until the conclusion of the event. Encourage your friends to 'like' the page and vote for you, and SHARE SHARE SHARE!! (voters will need to return to the original post for their votes to be counted properly)
At the end of the contest, the one with the most votes will win 2 tickets to The Reptarium/LegaSea in Utica, MI. Everyone will get a free pass to Scott Smith's All Animal Expo for participating.
Happy voting!!

Good morning!Yesterday was the best day at the store in almost 5 years. Flow of customers was amazing. I had a family of...
08/31/2025

Good morning!
Yesterday was the best day at the store in almost 5 years. Flow of customers was amazing. I had a family of 6 that drove down from Belvidere to patronize the store. Sales were good. Needs were met. Projects were worked on.
I woke this morning to a dozen inbox messages alerting me to a cowardly critic. This person (Stacy Kaspar Sherburne) had concerns about the store and instead of addressing them to me, chose the path of social media (the Remember Princeton page) to rally support for her small minded opinion. Apparently she plans on reporting me to the Department of Ag. She rallied support from a few (none of whose names I recognize). Her concerns were
*fish in green water
*rabbit cages too small
*Cher chained at the front door
The green tank is healthy and gets regular water changes, but being in the front window, tends to be green. Green is actually healthy, just not eye appealing. The crystal clear tanks at PetSmart are over filtered and are 'too clean', but it pleases the Karen crowd.
The rabbit cages are regulation sized and meet the standards for housing. Stacy must not be aware that I am a STORE and this housing is meant to be temporary. If she would like to purchase one of my bunnies and house it differently, I would encourage that she can put them in a multi level bunny condo complete with air conditioning for hot summer days.
Cher being tied is for her safety and I'm confused why this is a concern.
The odor in the store was also brought up. The building is full of live animals that obviously p**p and p*e. Cages are cleaned regularly and often.
Stacy, would you allow me to come to your house and use an unhappy, critical eye to assess your skills as a mother and housekeeper? Being a public entity, I leave myself vulnerable to people like you and it's a price I pay for the service I provide- that goes beyond pet care.
For 7 years I cried and worried and fought against the negativity, wondering how or what I could do better. It ate away at me until I almost gave up in 2024.
I entered 2025 with a new attitude. I realized that people like this exist and decided to not allow you to pe*****te my purpose in my community (and beyond).
If unhappy people choose to report me, that is a reflection of THEM, not me and my mission. What they can hope to accomplish is that they will create a situation where I have to use a portion of my precious time to address the charges, which, as pointed out in the comment stream, have never resulted in getting me shut down or paying fines, because as unrealistic as the expectations are in the code book, I was able to prove that the store poses no threat to the health and welfare of the critters in my care.
This post is all of the time I will spend on this issue unless I have to go through the process of beating the charges Stacy might insist on having them investigate. She obviously has a lot of time on her hands, and assumes Joel (my inspector) and I do too.
I want to thank all of my loyal customers who defended me publicly against this coward and her uninformed followers and continue to support the store, enjoying the weekly children's programs, interaction, information and personal attention.
Have a wonderful Sunday everyone, and if anyone visits Stacy's house in Homer Glen , let me know if her toilets are clean and if her kids' toys are all put away. If you need the number for DCFS, I'm sure it is public domain. 😉😜🤣🤣

Saturday at the ZOO...*Beulah from 12-3*Tilly will be visitingNew For sale:❤️fan footed gecko (2)🧡Chinese golden thread ...
08/30/2025

Saturday at the ZOO...
*Beulah from 12-3
*Tilly will be visiting
New For sale:
❤️fan footed gecko (2)
🧡Chinese golden thread turtle SOLD
💛stinkpot musk turtle (3)1 SOLD
💚green anoles (3)
🩵polyptrus ansorgii
💜polyptrus endlicheri
🤎green tree frogs (3)
💞axolotls (2)
💘werewolf rat babies (20+)
🖤english budgies (2)
🩶male/female bettas (12+)
🤍garra rufas(exfoliating fish)
💝butterfly koi
❤️‍🔥shubunkin
💖new cockatiel babies (3)
💓fresh feeders (fish, bugs, frozen)
❣️freshly stocked gumball machine (new prizes/money added)
*last day to turn in color pages for the contest / Homestead Festival window display
The farmer's market will be open. The trolley will be running.
So much to see and do!!

08/29/2025

I have some new favorites. NOW YOU KNOW!!!

Looking for suggestions on which new trading cards you'd like to see. Im going to create a new batch this weekend, and ...
08/28/2025

Looking for suggestions on which new trading cards you'd like to see. Im going to create a new batch this weekend, and want your input.
Some of the ones I have in mind are....
* cockatiels
* betta fish
* chinchillas
* lovebirds
* oscar fish
* snails
* axolotl
* canaries
* Nubbins (degu male)
* werewolf rats
* sulcata tortoise
* parakeet
* crested gecko
Please choose your top 4 and/or add your own ideas.
Anyone who comments with suggestions (by Saturday night) will be entered into a drawing for a complete set of cards.

I promise to greet you with a smile. I'm not as cute as these puppers though... Open 12-7 today!
08/28/2025

I promise to greet you with a smile. I'm not as cute as these puppers though... Open 12-7 today!

Address

419 S Main
Princeton, IL
61356

Opening Hours

Wednesday 12pm - 7pm
Thursday 12pm - 7pm
Friday 12pm - 7pm
Saturday 10am - 7pm

Telephone

+18158785674

Website

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A new beginning....

In January of 2018, Lori Boekeloo became the proprietor of the new and improved TANKS Pet Supply. She added the addendum to the name by adding Boek-el-ZOO as a play on her own last name. It also reflected her desire to create a zoo environment at the store, encompassing education and interaction with the animals there. Though the store has gone through many changes over the years, one thing remained constant- a passion for pets. Lori worked in pet stores through her college years, both corporate and ‘mom and pop’ stores. 30 years passed and she began working part time at TANKS in the winter of 2017. Paired with her love of children and education, Lori plans on bringing that aspect to the store by hosting field trips and educational programs in the recently remodeled Bob Miller Learning Center at the rear of the store. Lori has the goal of making the NEW TANKS a fun place to come and learn and explore. She wants to provide unique experiences and encounters with animals and breeds not commonly seen. There will be workshops and opportunities to socialize with other animal lovers and enthusiasts. So come and see what she has to offer!