After 41 years in business, Mike Hoffer will close Hoffer’s Tropic Life Pets, 7323 N. 76th St. Hoffer says it’s been a great run, but he’s ready to retire.
Although he would like to close by the end of the year, Hoffer says he will not do so until he can find homes for the hundreds of animals living in the shop.
"I have 400 fish tanks, 160 reptile enclosures with a couple hundred snakes, lizards and turtles in them," says Hoffer. "Plus lots of small animals – mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs. I’m desperate to find good home for all of them."
Plus, Hoffer's is housing 15 larger animals, including large lizards, snakes, tortoises and five alligators. (Alligators cannot be sold in the City of Milwaukee so they will, hopefully, find new homes in the Wisconsin Dells area.)
Currently, every animal and supply is 25 percent off.
Hoffer’s was particularly known for its kids birthday parties and annual Great Hamster Race.
As for the future, Hoffer says he plans to ride his Harley Davidson and spend time with his wife.
"She has a lot of stuff for me to do," says Hoffer. "I’ve been lucky. Some of my employees have been with me 28 to 30 years. The animals, my employees and my customers – I love ‘em all – they’ve stuck by me until the end."
Hamster, anyone?
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
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