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....?
That's cute and all but the key to running a successful buisness is running a buisness. You having suggestions of other pets to buy it's good enough. You have to have some part that makes you money. Like having the Animals at your store (through an agreement with the shelter) or offering to pick up the animal, train and goom it for them. The best place to start is by getting a job at a pet store (don't tell them you want to be the competition) Then you can see what they do well and what you can do better.
Interesting business plan! I really like the big screen idea. But be careful about advertising you can "buy" a pet from your store, it's somewhat misleading and you could have some legal issues.



Now your next step is to attend a good business college.



good luck!I want to open a pet store....?
1. Business school, to learn the basics of entrepreneurship

2. Veterinary school, to learn the basics about animal health
I think it's a great idea! Don't go down the seling of animals route, a lot of pet shops don't give a hoot about the animals and when they are too old they drown them. I like your way of thinking, i volunteer for a no kill shelter and would never buy from a breeder. I have once bought from a pet shop, Cindy was a 5wk old x shepard pup, not weaned from mother, runt of the litter and in a small cage with 6siblings. I took her straight to the vet where he said she was malnourished and needed to be weaned by me.

Good luck
That's a great idea and hope you can make it come true. I would emphasize that you ONLY have puppies/kittens from local shelters and have them scheduled on routine days as "adoption" days - then on the store front have a list of the name of the shelter and when they will be there for adoption days.
You wouldn't have to move to a totally different country! There's a lot of very famous canadian animation companies with a lot of successful TV shows that I still watch.

That's a great idea! But instead of just having ads of pets in shelters and making people go there, how about taking the dog or cat over to your store after someone picks that pet and then giving it to them? Kinda like shipping it from the shelter to your store and to the house of the person who asked for it. Or you can get dogs from shelters and take them to your store, or just get your own shelter and also have collars and cute accessories!

But remember that you'll have to hire workers and pay for advertising and for all of the merchandise, which costs a lot of money! Plus electricity and just renting a store. If you don't get any customers, you'll have to close shop, so go to lots of different neighborhoods where practically everyone has a dog, so you'll get a lot of customers.



Good luck!