Since the death of Lou’s Pet Shop’s adored tortoise, Frankie, in late October, the team has been looking for a way to fill the turtle-shaped hole in all their hearts. Just three weeks ago, they found their missing piece, all the way from the windy city.
Found abandoned behind the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois, Holly, a four-year-old sulcata tortoise, was rescued by Lou’s Pet Shop’s owner in the freezing weather. Giving the community a new pet store mascot, and continuing the legacy of Frankie.
“We took her in as a rescue,” Lou’s Pet Shop General Manager Liam Bunte said. “The temperature the night before had been about 27 degrees, and they still found her trotting along, so she’s kind of a super survivor.”
Despite nearly 300 miles separating Holly and Lou’s Pet Shop, nothing was going to stop the team from giving her the home she needed after her lonely suffering.
“My boss saw a listing online for a rescue sulcata,” Bunte said. “He took a road trip in basically one afternoon to go get her, and came back the same day but with a new little friend.”
Despite being found in such challenging conditions, and with a long road trip under her shell, Holly arrived in Grosse Pointe with a clean bill of health, and has been energetically exploring her new pet store home.
“She’s very active with people,” Bunte said. “Normally, she’s out and about, letting people pet her, and she’s great.”
Pet shop management was worried about the community’s willingness to accept a new tortoise roaming around because of how well known and loved Frankie was.
“We were expecting more of a mixed reaction just because Frankie was so beloved,” Bunte said. “But everyone’s missing out on the tortoise shaped hole in our hearts, so she’s filling that gap and then some; It’s been nice having a tortoise back.”
With less than a month living in Grosse Pointe, Holly hasn’t had the chance to meet much of the community. Some of her first visitors, though, were Maria Fontes ’25 and her two little brothers.
“I met her a few weeks ago,” M. Fontes said. “I went with my little brothers to get cat toys.”
M. Fontes’ six-year-old brother Peter Fontes came with her to get cat toys, and was over the moon to see Holly in person, as he’d only ever seen Frankie in pictures online.
“I got to feed her and pet her and she followed me. I gave her lettuce,” P. Fontes said.
P. Fontes has been an animal-lover all his life, so having a unique tortoise at his local pet shop is even better for him.
It’s been hard for the Fontes’ to get used to visiting Lou’s Pet Shop and seeing a turtle that isn’t Frankie, but M. Fontes loves the way having a turtle changes the environment of the store.
“It’s a little bit sad, I miss Frankie the turtle, and everyone loved him,” M. Fontes said. “But the new turtle is pretty cute, and it makes everyone happy to see (her).”
Fontes was heartbroken after learning about Holly’s trying circumstances, and found a much greater appreciation for the store’s generosity in giving her a new home. She said Lou’s is the best place for Holly to be after what she’s gone through.
“I’m so glad that Lou’s Pet Shop took the turtle into their own establishment and gave her a happy home with so many loving community members,” M. Fontes said. “She deserves it.”
