People rally to relocate Pocatello pet store ahead of Pine Ridge Mall closure

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– Owners of the aquarium supply and exotic pet store Aquatic Oasis said they have seen an outpouring of community support helping them through a difficult relocation process in preparation for the Pine Ridge Mall's scheduled closure.

Ross Gregersen opened Aquatic Oasis almost three years ago, but earlier this month he got the news that he needed to relocate his store to make way for renovations planned by the mall's new owners, Arizona-based development company SimonCRE.

"The mall sold, I think, about a year and a half ago, and everyone knew that this was going to happen... or anticipated it happening," said Gregersen. "...But we were all kind of emotionally prepared for it, I would say we were getting more prepared financially. We just barely opened, and so all of our eggs have been put in this basket to setting this storefront up and getting this going."

Gregersen said although the news of relocation did not come as a surprise, moving hundreds of saltwater fish and coral, reptiles, insects, and shelves of aquarium and pet supplies does pose a unique set of challenges.

The Aquatic Oasis crew set to work weeks ago scouting for new locations to begin the long process of renovating a new building to start acclimatizing their exotic animals to their new home, a task they completed at the mall just a few years prior.

"We had to run a line through the store to make sure we have enough power to supply the heaters, the filters, the circulation pumps, return pumps, lighting–coral are photosynthetic so they require a lot of specialized lighting, as well as plumbing," said Gregersen. "...These are some of the things that we're gonna have to do in the next location too, so those are things that we're trying to compensate for that are kind of financially heavy when first having to move or start over."

Gregersen said he and his employees are not having to eat the cost of moving alone, people and businesses across the area are pitching in to help keep employees paid and animals fed until Aquatic Oasis reopens at a new location in the next few months.

The store is holding raffles with prizes donated by local people, as well as collecting funds on a GoFundMe page designed by store patrons and supporters. For more information you can visit Aquatic Oasis' Facebook page, or you can visit their GoFundMe page.