One stop shop for pets, computers, vacuums in Waupaca
By James Card
Richard “Heckey” Heckenlaible had to move out of the pet store and computer/vacuum repair shop he rented on 219 N. Main St.
The building was sold and the new owner had other plans.
He found a new location at 701 S. Industrial Drive, Unit C. It’s the same building where Fastenal is located.
That left Heckenlaible the conundrum of having to move over 50 guppies and other tropical fish across town during Memorial Day weekend.
He filled up a 20-gallon tank at the new location and sold off as many fish as he could before the move.
“We had four five-gallon buckets. We filled them up about three-quarters full and threw them in and drove really slow,” said Heckenlaible.
He started on Thursday and had his inventory moved in by Monday. The retail area of his pet store is like a small independently owned Petco.
He carries food for almost all types of pets except snakes. Heckenlaible stocks aquarium equipment and other pet accessories.
Some of the fish he sources locally from other tropical fish aficionados. Some people drop off fish that they do not want anymore. He doesn’t like to do that but does it anyway.
Purchases pet shop
Heckenlaible bought the Corner Pet Shop in 2019 when his next-door neighbor wanted to retire.
Heckenlaible runs the only dedicated pet store in Waupaca, but he also offers the city’s one and only computer repair and vacuum repair.
One wall is covered with replacement vacuum bags. He is an authorized Kirby service center and works on all makes and models of vacuums. He purchased the local Kirby dealership in 2011.
The back of the store in a separate room is his workshop. Vacuums and computers are in various states of assembly and disassembly.
“We custom build computers, do a lot of it virus and spyware removals, upgrading and networking for small businesses,” he said.
Heckenlaible refurbishes old computers and sometimes he has to go “archiving” to find obsolete parts and software for computers that a customer wants to keep alive. He doesn’t work on Apple products as the licensing is too expensive.
Heckey’s Corner Pet Shop, Computers and Vacuums is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. He can be contacted at 715-256-0988 and at www.heckeyscomputers.com.