Main Street Getting a Pet Boutique

Wag! A Unique Pet Boutique will open Feb. 26, owner and animal lover Caroline Gunther said Thursday. The store, located at 231-A North Main St., will carry just about everything you need to keep your pet healthy and happy.

Gunther will operate the store with her two helpers, June and Winnie, two loving dogs who will make you feel welcome the moment you walk in the door.

“It’s going to be a pet boutique. We’ll have clothes, collars and leashes, beds, toys, treats, training aids, shoes, hats,” she said. “It will be for dogs and cats. I’ll probably have a few horse things because I’m a horse girl from way back and horses and dogs go hand in hand.”

Gunther added that Wag! will also carry specialty items for a pet’s human friends, like cards and T-shirts with a dog or cat theme.

Gunther said her life has always revolved around animals, and she has been involved in animal rescue programs. In fact, she rescued her dog Winnie from a shelter just hours before the dog was about to be put down. Having worked on Main Street previously at Kilwins and Dancing Bear Toys, Gunther said she wanted to open a business that allowed her to indulge her passion for animals. She wasn’t about to let a down economy stop her from achieving her dream.

“The pet industry has been growing even in the worst time. People in hard times will still spend money on their animals, their kids and their inebriates,” she joked. “There are a few people who say the same thing, but the tone of their voice is different. They say, ‘Oh, you are certainly brave for doing this. I commend you for it.’ I always say somebody’s got to do it or it’s never going to turn around. I’m young and vibrant and ready to go.”

One thing Wag! has going for it, Gunther believes, is its location. Main Street is the perfect place for a pet boutique because so many people come downtown to walk their dogs, she said. Gunther said people and their dogs and cats are welcome to come inside and make themselves at home.

“They can be off leash in here. I really wanted it to be a place that people can come with their dogs and sit,” she said. “I want it to be a good place for dogs to take a little field trip and come hang out and have a good time."

Between now and her Feb. 27 opening, Gunther will be busy getting her 1,900-square-foot space ready for business. She showed off some of her merchandise, including chew toys that go easy on the environment. The toys, made of a hard rubber-like material, are manufactured by a company that will take back any of its products should they become worn out or damaged and replace them with a new toy. The damaged toys are then recycled to make new pet products.

“I’m carrying products that you can’t find at pet stores,” she said.

Wag! will be located on the Web at www.wagboutique.com. The phone number is (828) 697-7799.

 

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