I want to open a pet store....?

Hey, so I've been thinking about what I wanted to do with my life... I'm 17 currently... I was thinking of becoming an animator... but then Id have to move to a totally different country and leave all my family and friends behind :(

All my life Ive Loved pets... especially dogs :P so I kinda had a brainstorm (Is that what you call it?): What If I opened a pet store... Like in a high class area in Toronto like the Shopping district or somewhere cool in toronto

And my pet store would be high end... Id sell like cute collars and coats and halloween costumes at winter time... Id sell those little gourmet treats and cupcakes and the store would look very classy and elegant... Now I know what your thinking... "dogs from pet stores come from puppy mills" and "theres already a million High-end pet stores"... but what will make this one different is I want to have 2 big screens on the wall One with Pictures and Bios of dogs in the local shelter and the other with pictures of cats at the local shelter... the customer could come in, pic a pet(S) and buy his supplyes and then go to one of the local shelters to pick up his pooch or feline



...is that a reasonable idea??? I would not be selling fish or hamsters...the only living creature in my store would be my own dog :P



I think its great because people wwho already have dogs can shop there or people who are looking for a dog can shop there AND save a pets life!





obviously I want to work hand in hand with 1 or more local shelters



On the front of the store I would advertise that you CAN buy a dog/cat at the store... they would come in thinking they will be getting some puppy mill dog when in fact their helping the shelter pups and cats :)I want to open a pet store....?
You would have to have a lot of advertising and stuff to make it successful because there are so many pet stores already! Maybe if you did grooming for the dogs too, and like a pet sitting service, as well as the pet store and all of that, it may workout better. People are always looking for a grooming place to bring their pet!
the only problem I can see with this is the fact someone could end up going to the shelter and being denied the animal they wish to adopt. A better idea is to work with your local shelters/rescues and host adoption days and providing a small discount to those who adopt that day.I want to open a pet store....?
What a good idea. You can start right now by volunteering at your local shelter. Maybe you could help them by coming up with new ways to advertise or help with special events or even just raise awareness. It never hurts to build relationships now that may help you years down the road.
Aim for the stars, kiddo. And for the love of God, USE SPELL CHECK!! No business owner should have the spelling and grammer skills as you have.



This:

"On the front of the store I would advertise that you CAN buy a dog/cat at the store... they would come in thinking they will be getting some puppy mill dog when in fact their helping the shelter pups and cats"



Is a BAD idea. Don't do that.



Stay in school!
I definetley think it's a good start. I love that you would market adoption rather than purchasing. I would look into the system that Petco and Petsmart have. They house cats from local shelters in their facility and host adoption events for the dogs on weekends. That way, people could still have the fun of seeing the pets directly in the store.



Another suggestion I have is looking into "education animals". I know an amazing exotics pet store that has TONS of customers because of it's "education animals". Basically, the place runs like a mini wildlife sanctuary. They only sell legal "exotics" like birds, rodents, fish and small reptiles, but they house a number of animals confiscated from humane investigations. For example, the place has a huge rock exhibit with giant tortoises. I'm not encouraging you to sell exotics, but I always thought the educational animals were a great idea. They're animals that wouldn't have a home without the place, and I know lots of people who buy from there just because they love visiting all the critters!



Keep in mind that at this time, independent pet stores are struggling to keep up with the big chains, like Petco, Petsmart and Petland. Don't assume you'll open the place and people will just start pouring in. You have to find out what YOU can offer that the big chains can't. Why will people visit your store instead of Petco?



I'd suggest you take lots of business and marketing classes. Good luck!
i think it is a great idea ... people spend more money on their animals than they do on their kids ... and in toronto, it is so pet friendly, i think it is a great idea ... i live in vancouver and there is a woman with a small boutique and she does what you have posted, posts pictures and bios of dogs in local shelters ... but one weekend a month the shelter people come to her store with the dogs advertised and people can adopt in their own neighbourhood ... when i lived in ottawa, there was another pet store downtown that sold shelter dogs and cats too ... i think it is a great idea :O)
yes i love the idea, especially the idea with the tvs and the shelter , because there are so many animals that are good and nice and cute in shelters that no one gets and the animal becomes euthanized or sits in the shelter for a long time. I would also try and do as many kill shelters as possible because they are the ones who need to the most because if they dont find a home in a certain amount of time they get put to rest and dont have a chance at a second life. I think this is a amazing idea and it seems you have a big heart. Maybe if your pet store gets big enough you can open other ones in different places. One more thing i would add is that you should also have like once a week people come into your store from shelters and bring a few animals that need a home the most and try to find them a home in your store. good luck and dont give up your idea. its a great idea.