Bugs Etc. In The News
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SHOP'S PRODUCTS KILL PESTS IN AN EARTH-FRIENDLY WAY
When Kevin Snyder isn't at the cash register making deals on his pest-killing products, he is showing children bugs through microscopes and demonstrating how to properly spray for creepy crawlers.
"What can I kill for you today?" he asked customers in a soft voice followed by a smile.
They quietly respond with horror stories about ants crawling along their walls, fleas nesting in carpets, and roaches dwelling in cellars.
Mr. Snyder's Do It Yourself Pest Depot specializes in killing bugs without hurting the environment. From flea powders to liquid ant killers, he promotes products with few chemicals and urges customers to use less of the products that contain dangerous fumes.
"We strive to be better stewards of the Earth," he said. "We've done something, even if we just save the Earth one house at time."
The business stemmed from a bug-spraying business owned by Mr. Snyder's brother Will, who recruited him to spray homes for fleas on busy weekends.
While operating the business, the men perfected a flea powder sold in the store. Do It Yourself Pest Depot opened in 1994 as a place for people to buy professional products at lower prices, and do the work themselves.
Mr. Snyder has nothing against the bugs he battles.
"The only bug I don't like is the bug I can't get rid of," Mr. Snyder said.
The 43-year old with a master's degree in business never dreamed of being a 'bug man' but the career choice suits him. Originally from Greensboro, Mr. Snyder came to the coast as a boy when his family vacationed on Topsail Island.
(From an article by Victoria Cherrie, Staff Writer, that appeared in the Wilmington, NC Sunday Star-News on June 28, 1998)
