Chicago’s iconic Animal Kingdom, which often seemed more like a three-ring circus than a pet store, retired its shingle in December after 65 years in business.

Animal Kingdom sold traditional products and pets—puppies, kittens, birds and fish—but the true secret to the store’s longevity was its circuslike atmosphere, according to Steve Maciontek, the store’s longtime general manager.

The late Bernie Hoffmann, who opened Animal Kingdom in 1944, would lead Joshua the Llama around on a leash while a giant turtle inched its way up and down the aisles. The tightrope walking the Acro-Cats also made frequent appearances, Maciontek said. 

“When people came into our store, they felt obligated to buy something because we didn’t charge anything [for admission], but they were always entertained,” said Maciontek, who worked at Animal Kingdom for 43 years.

The store also was memorable because it incorporated curious creatures into creative sales promotions. Hoffmann was fond of saying, “If you want to sell something, use a kid or an animal, but preferably an animal.” And the store often did. For example, when “Snakes on a Plane” hit theaters, Animal Kingdom brought in a 9-foot boa constrictor, placed plastic bodies and airplanes in its cage and promoted a sale on reptile products.

Animal Kingdom knew how to stand out from the big box retailers that Maciontek said have homogenized the industry. “Independent retailers need to make their presence known,” said Maciontek. “They need public relations. We were all PR people [at Animal Kingdom]. We took our animals everywhere: to parades, on walks, to schools.”

The pet store also supplied much of Chicago’s animal talent from the 1950s through the 1980s, according to published reports. For example, it provided multiple ducks over the course of 20 years to play Chelveston the Duck on the children’s program “The Ray Rayner Show.” The store’s Luther the Leopard modeled for Playboy, and Louie the Lion, whose best pal and cagemate was Clipper the Dalmatian, appeared in local restaurant ads.

Animal Kingdom closed with the retirement of its owners, Robert and Sandra Hoffmann, according to Maciontek.