The Pet Zone

Tucked into Pittston, Pennsylvania, The Pet Zone is a family-run operation that has quietly built a reputation far exceeding what you'd expect from a local pet shop. The store sprawls across two levels — upstairs you'll find rows of freshwater and saltwater aquariums alongside small mammals and birds, while downstairs lies the "cave," a $5-admission reptile experience where visitors can hold snakes, admire tortoises, and meet creatures like Kobie the false water cobra. The aquatics department is a genuine draw.

John, a staff standout frequently mentioned by name, walks customers through saltwater setups with real patience, discussing the specific needs of individual corals and fish. The store stocks tropical freshwater fish, saltwater species, and coral frags, and they'll sell you pre-mixed saltwater at a dollar a gallon to get your tank running. One reviewer brought in clams for their puffer fish — that kind of niche inventory speaks to a store that understands its audience.

They also carry Fluval filtration equipment and a solid range of dry goods and fish food. For pond enthusiasts, the staff offers detailed guidance on outdoor fish keeping and pond environment care. The Pet Zone backs up its sales with a 48-hour fish guarantee — bring back the fish and a water sample, and they'll replace it.

It's a small but meaningful policy that shows accountability. Beyond aquatics, the store hosts special events featuring genuinely exotic animals — baby kangaroos, capybaras, even otters — that draw families from across the region. The reptile selection is substantial, and they're one of the few remaining local shops selling live feeder mice and rats.

Some reviewers have noted occasional dead fish in display tanks, and a few have flagged pricing concerns on specialty reef additives. These are worth knowing, but they haven't stopped the store from earning strong loyalty across its 641 reviews. The Pet Zone delivers an experience that big-box competitors in northeastern Pennsylvania simply can't match.