Tony and Joyce Samples took over the Petland franchise, 1600 Turner McCall Blvd., in January of 2011, and General Manager Travis Kelly said the number of Romans interested in saltwater aquariums has grown significantly in recent years.
The store is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and the festivities are scheduled for noon to 5 p.m.
“People are having to drive from Rome to Atlanta to get their supplies,” Kelly said.
The 210-gallon aquarium features at least 10 different species at this time, and Kelly said the store would be adding species continuously. In addition to the fish, Petland is stocking cultured live rock, which feature living organisms and acts as a bio-filter for the saltwater.
Rome’s K-9 units will put on a live demonstration during the Customer Appreciation event Saturday, during which Kelly will don a bite suit and let the police dogs show everyone what they do. Petland has signed on to be a sponsor for the K-9 unit and will be providing dog food for the four-legged officers.
The Rome Petland just received the Vanguard Award from Petland corporate offices as a top franchise for the past year.









