Urban Pet: From doggy nail polish to organic foods

Urban Pet carries products you wouldn’t normally find in your average pet boutique, from haute-couture clothing and strollers for dogs, to kosher and organic pet food.
By the end of their first year of business, Michelle Sturino, 39, and Lydia Moore, 36, the owners of this pet grooming centre, bakery and accessory boutique broke even with their original investment.
Located in Montreal West, Sturino and Moore opened up shop in May 2003. Sturino moved to Montreal six years ago from Toronto and found herself quite surprised. “When I came out here there was nothing that was ’boutique-ey’ like in Toronto,” she said.
Moore and Sturino employ one person as well as a groomer they added to their team last year based on the demand. They say they serve around 200 to 300 regular clients and refer to their second year of business as a sudden “boom.”
“We started out by profiting with a couple of thousand dollars a month in the first year to making anywhere from $10 – 15,000 a month in profit by our second year.”
Previously a restaurant owner, Moore met Sturino shortly after she moved to Montreal and showed up as a client at her restaurant and they soon became friends.
According to Moore, coming up with the concept was the easy part. “We were sitting outside this store waiting for the landlord to come and six dogs passed by with their owners, so the idea came up.”
Sturino also has 18 years of experience in the pet industry, including working as a veterinary technician in the Caribbean for the SPCA and she is currently the president of D.O.G., the Dog Owner’s Group. “And I’ve also had a yard of up to 15 dogs at one time,” she said with a smile.
Prices for their products and services range from $0.75 to $385. “The most expensive items we carry are from the Juicy Couture line,” said Moore. Grooming services include brush-outs, nail and ear cleanings, and washes for anywhere between $25 to $100. Sturino said the funniest service they’ve provided is “doggy nail polish.”
Theresa Bianco has been a client for two years. “I like that it’s not a chain, the owners are present and I always try and support small businesses over bigger ones.”
Ellie Gagnon has also been a regular client for three and a half years. “I think its one of the only boutiques in Montreal that had the haute-couture stuff,” said Gagnon. “Also, this leash is really comfortable for my dog,” she said as she pointed to her pet in a harness leash rather than a collar. “This is the only place that carries it. They have accessories that other stores don’t have.”
Sturino said the highlight of running her business is seeing local clients who have moved away to areas like Dorval or Laval still come to their boutique in Montreal West.
“That’s what I like seeing more than anything, knowing that we’re doing something right when you have someone who doesn’t live in a convenient place but comes anyway. To me that’s the sign of a successful business.”

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