Next to Nature

I have upped the bar on pet stores time and time again, and I have ended up here for the past 3 years or so. I have never been disappointed with the service here in all that time. I am always treated with appreciation and respect even on those rough days of mine, even when I was crying my eyes out over poor customer service at my own vet clinic! Everyone here is helpful and welcoming — it really is hard to believe sometimes. Selection is superb, and prices are fair (I mean appropriate, not poor). PLUS, if ever there is ease of parking, I literally roll up to the front door and parallel park right there. I only parked in their big parking lot once (the first time).

I went in for the first time tonight and it might be my Graceland. I have fallen down every black hole in the internet researching pet food and NTN exceeded expectations. My pups eat raw when I have money and after an unfortunate incident involving a cow heart I decided to check this place out.
I knew what I was looking for when I went in but checked out everything.
Price: reasonable. Don’t get me wrong it’s expensive for you pet to eat well, but they had the basics as well as the bells and whistles.
Staff: awesome! I was greeted upon entering even though all visible staff were busy. As soon as they were finished I was asked if I needed any help. Not in a pushy way. I was left alone after that. When I had a question it was answered immediately and clearly without an attempted upsell.
Products: from what I could see all products were of a high quality AND useful. There is a relatively small non food selection and every product looked durable. Local when possible and they were willing to order products that fit with their business ethics.
Atmosphere: adorable and country store-​ish without feeling fake or gimmicky. The foster cats were all super calm and allowed me and my dog to approach. They are loose in the store so use discretion when bringing your pup.
I will definitely go back in the future.

I love this place. The resident and adoptable cats are very charismatic and the staff have always been kind and helpful. This is my favorite place to shop for cat food and treats for neighbor dogs, although I buy these products from several different sources. Prices tend to be more reasonable than other natural pet food shops around town. It’s a very spacious shop, so it’s less stressful to move around, browse and shop than at other stores in general. I recommend going out of your way to visit if you haven’t already — it’s not in a shopping center, which makes going there a little more of a special trip, but it’s worth it.

Zero stars if I could. Used to love coming here when we were in the area… But after today, I have never felt so upset on the phone! Terrible customer service. If something isn’t working out for me, especially a high ticket item… I should be able to return it, as it was a safety issue. I guess you have 30 days in order to return an item and it have had the item for two months… Anyway, what I’ve learned from this is that Next to Nature could care less about the safety of our pets.
The girl I spoke with was rude, unprofessional and not understanding. Apparently she was the one who sold me the kennel and told me that it would work fine in the back of our truck… Then tells me that I’ve had it too long and that it’s too bad that it isn’t working out for me. Was not apologetic, just condescending.
We will never shop here again… and let everyone else we know to not come here.

Awesome store. Knowledgeable staff. Great Products. Great customer service. What more can I ask for? I highly recommend them. I drive all the way from puyallup just to get my dog and cat food from them they are so great!!!

Before visiting this store, we visited a neighboring establishment, DawgTown. My Wife rents a space there, and utilizes the said space sparingly. Today, an employee from Next to Nature (with dreadlocks) witnessed my Wife visiting Dawg Town first. After that visit, then came into Next to Nature to buy a few dog treats (not any more than $ 4.00 worth). Ready to check out, the employee with the dreadlocks asks, «Do you work at DawgTown?» My Wife replied, «No, I just rent a space there.» In return the employee states, «Then you are not allowed to be in this store.» My Wife then says, «Why? I am not employed by DawgTown, nor am I associated with them. Whatever ill situation you may have with that establishment, I am clearly not associated with. I am a paying customer here, just like anyone else.»
Long story short, my Wife was kicked out from the store due to association! That is clear discrimination, a petty one at that! Do you keep track of all the customers, associates, and the general public who steps foot in DawgTown and refuse service upon entering YOUR store? I bet you don’t!
My Wife is a K9 Trainer, and unfortunately, has recommended Next to Nature to all her clients. But that’s an easy fix, because due to the nature of association, clearly all her clients are no longer allowed to shop at Next to Nature either!
Thanks for your poor judgement and poor service!

Staff are always so helpful and knowledgeable. They have a great selection of pet foods, and they listen to their customers. Also a great selection of pet accessories. Their prices are great too, cheaper than other pet stores and the quality of food is 10x better. I will not shop anywhere else!

Love this place. They have 6 or 7 adopted cats roaming around. Great selection of natural GMO Free treats and homemade treats that my dogs love.

I LOVE this store! They’re so nice to me always even if I bring in a pitbull or very intimidating brindle supermutt. They don’t flinch and they always give my dogs treats, pets and sweet words. Especially love the girl with dreads! Their organic store has somewhat pricey items but that’s always expected at an organic store. You get what you paid for though! The lamb lung treats and mixed baked treats are my dog & his friends’ absolute favorites. I also get their fresh spray millet for the flock which is always fresh and bushy.

Love going to Next to Nature, especially my girls! They have a lot of high quality dog foods and treats from good company. However, they don’t have the specific favor in their inventory, so I have to call to have them pre-​order from the warehouse.

I called and was req. info on cat flea meds. The guys seemed a little «uneducated» on the products but was friendly and was willing to get answers so that was nice. I did have to laugh at the end because I was told «they aren’t allowed to give out pricing over the phone.» Of course after making the trip & going in… I found out why… they are WAY OVER Priced! You can get the same products from the local vet for 50% or more cheaper than what they offer.

Great store, lots of great things, pricey, but to be expected with great quality. I’m giving 2 stars because they were not kid friendly and rude to me as well.

Although I’ve still go to Petsmart and other commercial pet stores, when it comes to my dog’s food and nutrition though, I love going to Next to Nature, it feels like going to a dog’s Whole Food or Trader Joe’s. They sell a particular grain free brand that I can’t find in other stores. They have a multitude of different types of treats and toys so it is nice to one stop shop for all my doggie needs. If I’m gonna go organic for my pet, then I’d rather go all the way and Next to Nature is definitely a great place to shop. Yes, a bit pricey but so worth it. Also the staff there are really nice. Glad to have this store in the downtown Tacoma area.

Awesome place to go if you want healthier options for your pet. The staff really knows their products and are always helpful.
They have a great selection of food and other necessities. Recently I was very happy to find an all natural flea treatment for my home, as well as shampoo for my cat. Highly recommended!

Always love going into this place. Tons of cool products, helpful staff if they are a bit overzealous. Really have a wide selection of food that is really healthy for your pets. Do have to say everytime I visit it seems like the prices are going up. I get support a small business but they are a wee bit steep!

This is my first review on Unilocal,and I’m sorry to say it’s a negative one.
Went in because it looked like a cute pet store in Downtown Tacoma, but felt personally harassed for taking pictures (of products, not layouts). I was looking at buying a fairly expensive hammock and wanted to show my mom before purchasing. And I was considering purchasing a small item even if I didn’t get the hammock, because I like supporting small local businesses I like, and Downtown Tacoma certainly needs more business.
Like another reviewer said, customer service can vary from person to person. Erin (?) was nice enough, though I wish she had told me that pictures were not allowed instead of sending over the girl with dreadlocks to do it (who then proceeded to stare at me until I put my phone away). If my hands were shaking, it wasn’t because I had been caught in my secret mission from headquarters to take pictures in your store, but because one of my two dogs had just died recently and this certainly wasn’t helping. Way to make a customer feel like a criminal, I felt like I had been caught shoplifting when all I wanted to do was buy cool gadgets for my remaining dog.
Long story short, some unique items, and I think it’s cool that there are foster cats running around everywhere. But I will be sticking to my much friendlier All The Best in Seattle for pet food and gear. And if you don’t allow pictures, put up a sign. It would be better than scaring off potential customers.

Living just down the street Next to Nature has spoiled us (well, ok, our dog). However this place is so awesome, I would gladly commute if we ever move away. The staff is super friendly, and very knowledgable in the products they carry. The store features a large wide open space with concrete floors for any accidents.
We get their gluten free bulk dog treats and our French Bulldog loves them. Also they carry Grandma Lucy’s freeze dried pre-​mix which we use to make her dog food. Which brings me to my next point, they gladly and quickly take special orders. No money up front, they will call you when it arrives. We wanted a giant bag of a specific kind of pre-​mix, no problem.
Highly recommended!

The store itself is spacious and carries a large selection of natural treats and food. It’s great that the floor is cemented as well for «accidents» by our fur kids!
The staff are knowledgeable about the products they carry and are helpful in recommending products for your pet. The only downside that loses stars for me is that the staff hops from one customer to the next. It’s fine that they acknowledge other customers in the store, however, in the midst of being helped, when they say, «Oh, I’ll be right back. I need to help this customer» and goes on to help another customer in my opinion is rude. I had this occur twice while I was in the store, and had to wait for a staff member to come back to finish what I had originally asked for.

Excellent place!
My vet recommended me here, and it was a darn good recommendation!
Next to Nature carries Oxbow brand hays, food, and toys only!!! Timothy and Orchard grass in 40 oz bags, and even small bags of MEADOW GRASS HAY! My rabbit is a picky stinker and will only eat soft Orchard and Meadow! So I stocked up on a few bags of Meadow! The worker was kind enough to hold my bags at the register while I looked around!
The workers are so friendly! The place is huge! I will certainly be going back for more meadow grass hay!

hands down this is one of my favorite stores in Tacoma. the staff here are fun, friendly, and very knowledgeable. the prices are very reasonable and the quality of their products is always top notch.
i also love that Next to Nature has made a commitment to supporting the downtown Tacoma business district.

Always nice to find a place that meets your pet care needs in every way and then exceeds them. When we left Phoenix, I worried that I would not be able to find a place like WagNWash back home. Luckily, Tacoma has Next To Nature and they provide me with the toys and food that my puppy loves. I am big on making sure he eats right and also making sure the toys and gear that I buy him are environmentally friendly. Next To Nature is the perfect spot for me because they have everything I need right there.
On top of that, the people who work there really love animals and get to know the pets that come in. They take time to play with the animals and get to know the owners too. Great place.