122 J. J. ABBOTT TAXIDERMIST
588 Jenkin Street
The storefront is fairly small and cram-packed with all manner of stuffed animals, birds, and fish. The walls are covered in the mounted heads of moose and deer, as well as trout and game fish. Showcases hold glass-domed displays of birds and free-standing creatures like small alligators, snakes, and the like. Some displays have animals dressed in clothes and hats, such as group of mice performing a dance number. Standing next to the store counter is a full-sized grizzly bear. Depending on one’s outlook, the store is either a cavalcade of whimsy or a grotesque nightmare of watching eyes and teeth. Store hours are 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm, Wednesday to Saturday (closed Sunday through Tuesday).
Directly behind the store, is Jerome J. Abbott’s workshop, where he prepares and conducts his craft. Abbott has connections with zoos on the East Coast and beyond, so exotic creatures occasionally turn up in his store. From time to time, he closes for days at a time to drive as far as Florida to collect interesting specimens for his work.
Abbott’s fees vary, depending on the size and complexity of the work. To have him taxidermy a beloved pet—so it can always be with you—will cost around $30 to $80, whereas a wall-mounted fish would be $10 to $50. For something like a full-sized bear, expect to pay $200+.
Abbott lives in a small apartment above the store and workshop, which he used to share with his mother before she passed. Some say that at night you can hear him still talking to her.
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