Have been coming to this establishment since it was in its previous location. Was on a job…read moreassignment in the area and went to check out the store. Long story (and assignment), but left town with a hand fed baby African Grey parrot! Had been a big dream; never thought it would happen. Going on twenty years later, he is still doing well. He has led quite the unexpected life. He travels all over the country (and loves it.) He has adapted well to everything. Usually with good cheer and a sense of adventure. I am convinced that is due to how well socialized he was when he was little -- and hand-raised by Jo. This is such a unique place. A store, yes, but more a baby parrot haven. They are raised like children. And it shows. You would like to purchase a parrot? Not so fast. You will be kindly, unobtrusively, but thoroughly checked out. Do you know what you are doing? Getting in to? Understand the attention and resource investments? For your lifetime (likely)? Does the parrot like you? (Really, the parrot will decide.) They might refuse to let you leave with one of their babies. Understand this transaction is taken that seriously -- before you go here. Otherwise, the store itself has everything imaginable parrot related. Questions will receive knowledgeable answers. I even got my veterinary referral from Jo. It is really hard to find a good avian vet. (We're still going there. Even if we have to drive hours to get there. Worth it.) The store has everything you could need for a parrot. Cages in every size and shape. So many toys -- screened for safety. Any healthy parrot food. There are play nets and exercise trees. And ..... there are baby birds. Jo finds responsible, local breeders who maybe have one or two breeding pairs of parrots. She finishes the hand feeding at the store and socializes the baby birds. I am convinced this is why Dorian has never plucked, screamed, bitten, any of the usual parrot behavior challenges. He is a cuddly, curious, adventurous soul. Jo's Exotic Birds is a serious parrot place. Just understand that the parrot's interests are respected here. Outcomes are reliably better that way.

Super nice store. They have everything you need. Lady on the front is so nice, and good prices…read more Just look at this cutie!

This store is fantastic. The staff and ownership here is very enthusiastic and eager to share their…read moreknowledge. They've got everything you'll need from species specific birdseed to houses and other accessories. On this trip we left with a new feeder + feed and some high quality suet. Definitely five stars for Flying Friends.

I moved from a high rise in the City of Chicago, out here to "the country". one thing I missed in…read morethe city were various types of birds. I wanted a bird feeder, but wasn't sure what type of setup I needed, so I contacted a local birder who recommended Flying Friends. Eric at Flying Friends recommended a setup and various types of feeds. He assured me that the birds would show up and told me what species to expect. Sure enough, after a week or so, I started getting visitors. We have had lots of house sparrows, house finches, black capped chickadees, red-breasted nuthatches, and an occasional woodpecker. I'm glad I went to Flying Friends. Eric is very knowledgeable and helpful. If I had not gone there, it would have been hit or miss.

Staff is super nice and very helpful…read more Store is clean and well stocked. Bird feed, bird baths, feeders, and many other items. Very nice Store. Stop in and check it out!

Wonderful staff. They are so helpful. Big selection of foods, feeders and assorted gift ideas.read more

Their birds are amazing. I bought a second one yesterday, and he's doing so great! Super tame, very…read moregentle and he's stealing the heart of my female already! Super nice family run business.

I left out pet bird in their care 2 years ago, came back from vacation and told she died. She was…read moresupposed to live at least 20 years and was only 5. They neglected her and place was filthy. They cleaned up before we picked out our sweet pet. She was at the vet shortly before vacation and was fine.

Puuurrrrreeeeze take me here? This store is stocked up with…read morehealthy snacks for felix or fido. From Bonita flakes to kong balls, this is like a posh pet pampering store. They have loads of healthy pet treats, organic pet shampoos, mutt mitts, kitty tapas, bulk dog oven-baked biscuits, raw frozen beef bones, and more. There's also your basic (and fancy) grooming tools and puppy coats. Your bird will love you too, if you come home with some golden millet spray, or activity toy by calypso creations. All in all, a good one stop shop for your everyday and your gift needs for the furry and feathered breeds.

Debbie is great to do business with and carries a great selection. I highly recommend this store…read moreand wouldn't think to go anywhere else

I called prior to traveling to this store, unfortunately wasn't told that they have cage size…read morerequirements for their birds. My cage is 32x36- I was told it needed to be at least 34 inches wide, but can be "overridden by a manager". Well either the manager did not like me or was really trying to shake me down to buy a cage from them because she would not "override it" Since my cage is as close to their "requirement" as possible, not sure what circumstances they would override this. Overall, was a very poor experience

Knowledgeable staff and the birds are beautiful and fun to watch and seem very friendly even though…read moreyou can't touch them.

I came back just like I knew I would. When my son's(also named Eli) parakeet passed away, he was…read moredevastated. I reached out to Eli (the owner) through text later in the day than I should have‍,but he responded right away. Eli had a bird in mind for my so;, upon arriving to the store, she was perfect. Aqua is the sweetest bird we have ever had, she and my son love each other quite a bit. After bringing her home, Eli was still very helpful. Given what had happened to my son's prior bird, Eli was able to answer my questions or concerns for anything I brought to him and was very responsive and kind throughout. I'm a little jealous and want one for myself now. lol Thanks again!

They moved to this new location. Got various beautiful birds, the owner Eli really cares about his…read morebirds and finding perfect ones for you.

Everything! Wonderful selection of bird food and accessories and amazing staff. Extremely helpful…read moreas well.

The only place I'll go for quality products and advice. Hands down the best place for bird food…read more Join the club to get discounts. Staff always seems happy so the owners doing something right.

I needed to purchase a few bales of hay for my garden beds and bales of straw to cover my backyard…read morelawn to keep the dogs' paws from getting too muddy. Prices are reasonable. This store is perfect for buying these sort of things. It was my first time there; so, I found them to be quite helpful, polite and efficient. You just go inside and pay, drive your truck to the loading areas, someone loads your items and you're on your way!

This place typically has the lowest prices you'll find, but their customer service is not good…read more I've had a number of interactions here that have left me feeling bad and not wanting to shop here anymore. 1) There was a time when they weren't sure if they had my dog's food in stock. They called the back to see if they had it, and it was a lot of back and forth about whether or not they had it. The phone call ended with them saying it was out of stock. Then a minute later they called and said they did have it after all. So I pay and pull around back, only to be told they don't have it and I would have to get a refund. This was followed by "just kidding." I was prepared to let this go, but the other interactions on top of this...it all adds up. 2) My dog hates car rides, so I put my sleeping bag on the back seat for her. It smells like me and calms her down. Someone working in the warehouse saw it and asked me if I'm homeless and live in my car, as he laughed. 3) Someone gifted me a bag of dog food in the correct brand and wrong line of food. I brought it here (unopened and brand new) to exchange it for the correct one, and was told I couldn't do that, because I had no proof it was from there, and they don't know how it's stored. This would make sense if they didn't take their own product back either, because they also don't know how the person stored it. They told me I was trying to get a free bag of food from them, which makes zero sense, considering I was trying to exchange an unopened unexpired product that actually cost more than the one I wanted, and I didn't even want the difference given back to me. It didn't matter to them I'm a long time customer of theirs. They treated me like I just randomly walked in off of the street and was demanding they hand me a free bag of food for nothing. 4) I purchased a bag of dog food, and afterwards, realized there was a small hole in the bag. I brought it back to them, and they told me if I kept the bag they would refund me $1. One dollar. They have raised the price of my dog's food by $10 per bag in the last six months or so, when it has remained the same price everywhere else. They are now about the same price as any other brick and mortar or online store. I will be taking my business elsewhere.

Growing up in Lake Villa next to Antioch, Best Pets has moved locations once and I've know the…read moreowner Steve since I was a young girl. Best pets provides food, supplies, toys and of course, animals. Pre owned items or brand new with a modest price difference. One thing that many negative reviewers don't know is that Best Pets only rescues dogs, not purchase them from breeders. So the dogs may not always be in the best condition and the staff do their best to give them the best care. They took in my ball python when he became too picky for me to be able to feed him, and they rehomed him to a wonderful family. I also bought my love and life, a ferret who was given away to them, and they gave me a great deal on her supplies. Now, service can be a bit slow or pricing on items your trying to sell can be a bit cheap but I totally understand, some days there's only one person on the floor and other times, business is bad and can't give too much for people's supplies. Overall, I love this store for the memories and the staffs knowledgeable information on animals.

This is what local pet stores should be. Friendly staff, fair prices, wide selection of products…read morefor cats and dogs with a robust small pet and aquarium section as well. They have various foster cats available for adoption and they carry a lot of good food brands that go beyond your average Iams or Fancy Feast. They provide strong customer service and seem involved with the community. I would definitely visit here again. The only downside is that parking is out behind the building and the storefront is on the front along Main Street, so there's not a very easy way to buy litter and haul it out to the car.