Buddy from Parrot Bay

Having a pet in the lobby of a business is a fairly popular thing in the Chippewa Valley. These domesticated patrons serve as unofficial mascots who greet visitors (especially kids), and – let’s face it – who doesn’t like to greet an animal from time to time? But while most are dogs and cats, at least two Valley businesses have parrots. And after chatting with them about it, I think they’re on to something …

“People love him,” Ship Shape Car Wash owner Deb Hoover said of Tattoo. “I’ll have parents come in and say, ‘Don’t tell my kids I was here without them.’ ”

Sandy Scholfield, co-owner of Parrot Bay Tanning Salon, has similar experiences with Buddy. “A lot of people like her and talk to her, and some people even bring in treats!”

Despite being two very different businesses, one in Eau Claire and the other in Menomonie, the parrots at Ship Shape and Parrot Bay are surprisingly similar. 

Tattoo is a 24-year-old Yellow-Naped Amazon, a breed that is mostly bright green, lives in Central America, is just over a foot long, and should live to see a 60th birthday. Buddy is a 25-year-old Blue-Fronted Amazon, a breed that is mostly bright green, lives in South America, is just over a foot long, and should live to see a 50th birthday.

 

Tattoo from Ship Shape

And do they talk? You bet. Tattoo is one of a highly intelligent and talkative breed, and when I ask what kinds of things he says, Deb says, “I don’t even know where to start. Well he does, ‘Hello’ and ‘How are you?’ but the funniest is when kids come in. He says ‘Don’t put your fingers in there, he’ll bite ya.’ He has an extensive vocabulary. It just depends on what mood he’s in.”

Though Buddy’s breed has personalities that range individual-to-individual, he’s a quite talkative parrot, as well. “She makes a noise like a telephone and says ‘Operator,’ ” Gary Scholfield said with a laugh. “She says ‘Hello’ and ‘My name is Buddy, how are you.’ She whistles at girls. And sometimes she makes this deep sound like she’s possessed.”

Deb has had Tattoo since he was an egg, and he joined the car wash within months of opening. “We figured it fit in with the whole ship theme,” she said. He’s been there ever since, with exception of a four-year stint where they sold the business and then bought it back.

Buddy, meanwhile, came from St. Paul after Gary visited his brother in San Diego and fell in love with his bird. So he got Buddy and brought him to Hollywood Tan, his video store in north Menomonie. “I’ve had people come in, who came in the video store for years – lots of kids that are grown up – and they’re excited that we still have Buddy.”

As for parrots as pets, Gary and Deb both had the exact same disclaimers: they’re messy (throw food all over) and need a lot of attention. “But he gets more attention here than I can possibly give him at home,” Deb said.

“They tend to be a one-person bird,” Gary said. “When I first brought her to the salon, you had to have gloves on because she’d bite. … But now she thinks I’m her mate, so when my wife comes along and I hold her, Buddy’ll bite me a little bit.”