Evan Smith didn’t think it would come to this. But he and his partner, Jason Pickering, were at wits’ end. Their dogs, Dunkin (a four-year-old pug) and Hera (a five-year-old French bulldog), were an itchy mess.
“Everything we tried to give them, they were allergic to it,” said smith.
After mounds of research and home-cooked meals for the dogs, not only did Smith and Pickering find dog-friendly kibble, but toys, treats and bedding, too.
Then came the Eureka moment:
“We can’t be the only ones who have this problem,” Smith recalled thinking. “So it was like, let’s do this.”
“This,” became Canine Utopia – an Uptown Village stop for the urban dog and cat set. Fronted on Main Street and close to 25th street, Smith and Pickering opened for business the first week of June. But the idea for the business has been in the works for about a year.
After hunting for spots in the downtown area, the Vancouver residents settled on their storefront at 2309 Main Street. Rent is 90 cents per square-foot and after their six-month lease is up, they have the option to renew for five years.
“We wanted to take part in the redevelopment of Uptown Village,” said Smith, adding, “There are so many pets over here.”
A gleaming water dish awaits any dog that happens to stroll by Canine Utopia and finds himself with a powerful thirst. Inside, past the storefront window (a silhouette of Hera, the French bulldog), the once cavernous and vacant space has undergone a transformation. A display pedestal butts against the window, where canine mannequins sport doggy eyewear. A refrigerator front, mounted to the wall, holds pet-related magnets. Colored glass lights glow from the ceiling. A warm wood floor invites customers to browse and linger.
The remodel, mostly the handiwork of Smith and Pickering, ran about $50,000.
When possible, Smith, who left his job in the health insurance industry to start the business, sourced products locally. He also visited U.S. dog food manufacturing facilities.
However, the focus on quality doesn’t end in the shop’s food section. Dog toys sold at the shop are designed to be digestible, just in case Fido gets a little over zealous in his play.
For those who want to avoid flea dips and flea collars, Canine Utopia sells a natural supplement from Vancouver-based Lumino Wellness Advocates.
“We feel, as an independently-owned small business, that it’s more important to stimulate the local economy than it is to stimulate the economy in other countries,” Smith explained.
The store is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
