CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for pet and pet supplies stores in Portland, ME
Pet and pet supplies stores in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area: 35 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 9-person team.
- Establishments
- 35CBP 2023
- Employees
- 309mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 6.1U.S. 2.9
- Rank
- 53rd of 439areas by count
The pet store market in Portland, ME
County Business Patterns counts 35 pet and pet supplies stores (NAICS 453910, Pet and Pet Supplies Stores) in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area for 2023. Together they reported 309 mid-March employees and $8,078,000 of payroll for the year. That ranks 53rd of the 439 metro and micropolitan areas where Census published a count for this industry.
With 572,000 residents in the Census 2024 estimate, that is 6.1 pet and pet supplies stores per 100,000 people, 109.9% above the national rate of 2.9. Establishments average 8.8 employees, 28.3% below the U.S. average of 12.3. Payroll per employee comes to $26,142, 13.8% below the national $30,339.
| Measure | Portland, ME | Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 35 | 58 | 9,921 |
| Mid-March employees | 309 | 503 (moderate noise) | 122,102 (moderate noise) |
| Annual payroll | $8,078,000 (moderate noise) | $13,556,000 (moderate noise) | $3,704,424,000 (moderate noise) |
| Employees per establishment | 8.8 | 8.7 | 12.3 |
| Payroll per employee | $26,142 | $26,950 | $30,339 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 6.1 | 4.1 | 2.9 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Establishment size: pet and pet supplies stores in Portland, ME
Of the pet and pet supplies stores in Portland, ME that had employees in March 2023, 22.9% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 26.6%). 71.4% had fewer than ten. For a business of a few people, phone coverage is a staffing question as much as a technology one: someone has to be free to pick up, or the call needs somewhere sensible to go.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 8 | 22.9% | 26.6% |
| 5–9 employees | 17 | 48.6% | 23.0% |
| 10–19 employees | 5 | 14.3% | 26.8% |
| 20–49 employees | 5 | 14.3% | 22.5% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
What pet and pet supplies stores in Portland, ME use the phone for
Pet stores answer questions about food, supplies and services like grooming. Regular customers call to check stock and place orders.
Typical inbound and outbound calls for pet and pet supplies stores in Portland, ME:
- A customer calls to check whether a food brand is in stock.
- A customer calls about fish supplies.
- A customer calls about adoption events.
Calls after closing time
After-hours calls are mostly stock questions.
With business-hours routing, calls after closing can go to transcribed voicemail or an optional AI receptionist instead of ringing an empty room.
What a phone system costs a pet store in Portland, ME
The average pet store in Portland, ME has 8.8 employees, so a 9-person team is a reasonable benchmark. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $224.55 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $270.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 9 people cost $179.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $1,092. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $179.00 | $2,148.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $171.00 | $2,052.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $207.00 | $2,484.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $224.55 | $2,694.60 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $243.00 | $2,916.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $270.00 | $3,240.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Which area code to use in Portland, ME
The exchanges in the area's named cities and towns are all in area code 207 (269 exchanges in NANPA's file). Callata's plan includes up to 3 local numbers; you can pick them in the area codes your customers recognize, subject to carrier inventory, or port the number you already have for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 207 | 269 | Eastern | 1947 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for pet and pet supplies stores
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
If you already have a number in Portland, ME, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many pet and pet supplies stores are there in Portland, ME?
Census County Business Patterns counted 35 pet and pet supplies stores in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area in 2023. They employed 309 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 9-person pet store?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 9 users cost $270.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $224.55 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $179.00.
What area code should a pet store in Portland, ME use?
Area code 207 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a pet store?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute.