Go Fetch!, that distinctively Missoula canine speciality shop with a doggie hiking service, is straying far from its longtime territory in the heart of downtown.
On Thanksgiving weekend, the store for pampered pooches will open a third location, on North Reserve Street next to Cold Stone Creamery.
“It's all about convenience for customers,” said Scott Timothy, the store's owner. “And this is our way of trying to meet the demand.”
While many businesses are hunkering down and waiting for a brighter economic forecast, Go Fetch! - empowered by its clientele - is boldly expanding its turf, Timothy explained.
In fact, the store is having its best fiscal quarter since opening six years ago. Sales are up by 18 percent.
As the business has grown, Timothy said, sales have shown that Missoula dog owners care deeply about giving their pets a quality life, recession or not.
“I still think of this business as still being in its infancy, and I don't take for granted what we do this for,” he said. “I know if you don't grow and take a risk, there is a strong possibility for atrophy. It's important to expand product line and services and let people know you are committed to making your business better, and that means reinvesting and reinventing what you do.”
So the Woody Street location will expand its dog treat bakery. And at the Reserve Street location, Go Fetch! will have three professional groomers and in-house dog trainers and training classes.
The smallest retail outlet, on Higgins Avenue, will continue to sell the high-quality dog food the other stores offer.
That dog food, which is not mass-produced, is the mainstay of the business, Timothy said.
More and more pet owners understand that if you feed your dog quality food it will be healthier, he said. The point was made clear during 2006 and 2007, when several giant pet food companies had to recall tainted products that were killing pets.
“It's no coincidence that the products we sell had zero recalls,” Timothy said. “It's about consciousness, like the coffee business that has gone to fair trade, shade-grown and organic.”
“You would be a fool not to embrace these products that are so mindfully produced,” he said. “Missoula gets that.”
As the business continues to grow, Timothy said the success is allowing him to reach other goals.
“When I set out to do this long ago, my goals have always been to be socially sustainable, offer fair prices and pay employees well,” he said.
Those goals are being met, but the next step is the ability to offer his 10 full-time employees health care benefits.
“You need revenue to do that,” he said, “and I'm hoping this new location will help grow the business so I can offer my employees a truly quality place to work, so they can have a quality life here.”
Reporter Betsy Cohen can be reached at 523-5253 or at bcohen@missoulian.com.
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)