Reptile, amphibian supply business opens in east downtown Norman

Jeff Elkins, The Norman Transcript, Okla.
Updated ·3 min read

Oct. 23—Andy Vaughn has developed extensive knowledge of reptiles and amphibians throughout his life — with snakes, lizards and scorpions as childhood pets and a continued accumulation of knowledge about them. It's all come full circle decades later.

Following the purchase and relocation of a Washington-based herpetological supply shop in April, he and his wife, Mona, now hope to assist Norman residents and beyond — from enthusiasts to professionals.

For more than 30 years, herpetologists and reptile keepers across the globe have sought supplies and expertise from the Bean Farm, which started in Carnation, Washington, in 1991.

While their business may be new to Norman, the family history in Norman as herpetologists experts is long-standing.

Andy's grandpa, Charles Carpenter, was a world-renowned herpetologist.

According to the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, "Chuck" was known for his work on reptile behavioral studies and received multiple awards, including Oklahoma Scientist of the Year in 1991.

"My uncle is a herpetologist, too, and my mom is a college biology professor at [the University of Oklahoma]," Vaughn said.

With a family engrossed in science, Andy said it was only natural that he developed an early fascination with animals, particularly amphibians and reptiles.

Mona said Chuck's studies paved the way for his children's professional careers in ecology and herpetology and have been a continued inspiration for Andy and herself.

Through some networking during the COVID-19 pandemic, Andy and Mona talked with Paula and Giovani Fagioli.

The Carnation, Washington, residents started the Bean Farm as an e-commerce business in 1991 but sought to retire and looked to sell the herpetology business.

It was an easy decision that seemed quite serendipitous, and the business is now headquartered at 105 S. Porter Ave.

Mona handles the marketing and administrative tasks, while Andy works the back end, fulfills orders and provides expertise.

Mona said while they aren't officially open as a storefront, they've had customers come from all over the state looking for light bulbs or reptile food.

"Herpetology is, of course, very niche. However, there is a good deal of demand for it across the U.S., and we're finding there's lots of interest here in the Norman area," Mona said.

For now, it functions solely as a warehouse for reptile and amphibian supplies, which they sell to zoos, professional reptile keepers and enthusiasts alike. But Mona and Andy have a vision for the Bean Farm to become so much more.

By spring, they hope to have a storefront buildout connected to the warehouse. With synergy building in the eastern portion of downtown Norman, Andy said they want to have a community area, where others can meet up.

"If we had a patio for reptile lovers to come hang out and have an educational aspect, we will have some university people come talk sometimes for, like, Art Walk. We want to be a part of that," Andy said.

To browse or purchase supplies and learn more, visit Beanfarm.com.

Jeff Elkins covers business, living and community stories for The Transcript. Reach him at jelkins@normantranscript.com or at @JeffElkins12 on Twitter.