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Enjoy a Cup of Coffee with Fido
Vet's new concept to include coffee shop, pet bar and store
Cynthia D. Webb
Staff Writer
Veterinarian Chip Cannon is making a $1 million bet that pet owners want to enjoy a cup of joe in the company of their pets. Cannon's three-in-one retail concept, scheduled to open in November, will include a coffeehouse, pet food bar with holistic food and a store with hard-to-find pet accessories.
Healthy and cool are the key concepts behind City Pet Supply, a 4,000-square-foot store opening this fall at Oak Lawn and Congress avenues next to Cannon's Oak Lawn veterinary clinic. Cannon is launching the store with Jay Young, a Dallas real estate investor. City Pet Supply will stock everything from natural foods to pet booties to muzzles that allow dogs to drink water, but not eat everything in sight, Cannon said. The free-standing store will also house Urban Dog Coffee for humans.
"The preparation areas will be fully enclosed in glass and separate from the animals," Cannon said. That means it will be the first indoor restaurant in Dallas where pets and owners can mingle. The shop will stock Illy, an Italian coffee, as well as its own branded coffee and snacks.
The space will also include The Whole Pet Cafe. Meals for animals made with human-grade meat, vegetables and grains will retail for between $4 to $10.
Finding a niche
In addition, Cannon plans to open Whole Pet, a holistic clinic with a retail component, and CityPetSupply.com, a Web site, in December. Cannon is the founder and majority stake holder of City Veterinary Centers with locations in Oak Lawn and Uptown.
The Whole Pet clinic will be in a 3,600-square-foot space at Preston Royal Shopping Center at Preston Road and Royal Lane in Dallas. The 1,100-square-foot clinic will offer treatment such as acupuncture, chiropractic and natural medicines. The rest of the space will house a second City Pet retail location. Cannon expects to hire 40 employees by the end of the concepts' first year.
Moving forward with the retail stores was an easy choice, Cannon and Young said. Since opening the Oak Lawn clinic in 1997, the practice -- which started with three employees -- now has 40. It has had between 25% and 40% annual growth while serving an urban clientele.
"We are serving a niche population in an urban area, and we are tying the retail and holistic brands into the City Vet brand," Young said.
Young said the pet service industry expects sales of $35 billion in 2005, but he admits the industry is not recession or high gas price-proof.
Cannon's established practices and approach to provide either a service, product or advice in a one-stop shop should attract new clients, according to an industry consultant.
"The veterinary profession has begun to understand the pet owners want more from their vets," said Tracy Dowdy, a certified veterinary practice manager and owner of Bedford-based Management Resource Group. Dowdy works with veterinarians to improve their practices. She has not worked with Cannon.
She said society has changed over the last 30 years and studies show 89% of owners see pets as a family member.
"Cannon is progressive in what he's offering his community. It takes a certain amount of risk, but there's a real possibility it will be successful," she said.
cwebb@bizjournals.com
© 2005 American City Business Journals Inc
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