I went to the Petco this past weekend and was pleasantly surprised to find out the employee who works with the reptiles has dozens of reptiles himself, from iguanas to snakes to geckos and bearded dragons. We talked for over an hour and it was obvious he knew what he was talking about when it came to reptiles. There were quite a few customers who asked him alot of questions and just in the time I was there he sold 3 snakes, 4 leopard geckos and a couple anoles. The prices weren't bad either. $49.99 for Balls and $69.99 for "red tail" Boas. It was refreshing to see an employee who not only cared about what he was doing, but also had the knowledge needed to steer potential customers in the right direction.
Not all chain pet stores are doomed...at least not yet!