What better way to publicize a new business than to display a genuine freak of nature? Yesterday, Big Al's Aquarium Supercenter in East Norriton, which just opened this summer, announced the "birth" of a "one-in-a-million" two-headed slider turtle. It invited the public to have a look at what appeared to be rare biological occurrence right here. AP sprang to action and sent photos around the country. NBC10 sent a crew. The press release got our attention at The Inquirer.
OK, forget for the moment that such oddities are not unheard of. Or that David Letterman once had a two-headed turtle on his show. Or that this particular trachemys scripta was actually hatched a month ago in Florida and shipped here to be a store attraction, and was not born last weekend in East Norriton as the P.R. guy initially told us.
In fact, franchise owner Bob Weintraub of Gwynedd Valley says he and partner Joel Goldstein of Lower Gwynedd bought this oddity from a Florida collector because they wanted a "mascot" for their new store. And, of couse, they wanted some publicity, too. They'll get both. The freaky little reptile has no name, yet, and is not for sale. And although it was not hatched here, the publicity plan was. Weintraub used to run a retail fish store in Jenkintown, and Goldstein used to sell aquarium equipment. The friends were retired and looking for something to do when Big Al's, based in Florida, began offering franchises. They got the first one outside Florida. Now they run a store akin to the Home Depot of household fish. Judging by the turtle reaction, they'll do fine.
