What if I told you that opening a pet retail store could start with a single email about a local pet store closing?

That’s exactly what happened to Candace D’Agnolo, our founder of Pet Boss Nation® and seasoned pet industry entrepreneur and coach!

One unexpected bankruptcy notification sparked Dante & Dory’s Pet Emporium—a pet retail store journey that started just a few months ago and is now about to open and serve an entire community of eager pet parents in Galesburg, IL! 

This isn’t your typical “how to start a business” guide filled with theoretical advice. This is how Dante & Dory’s unfolded for Candace in real time. We’re taking you from first talk to grand opening! 

If you’ve been researching how to start a pet business (or expand your current pet business), this guide will help you take action and turn that vision into reality! 

Recognizing the opportunity to open a pet retail store

It happens differently for everyone… but sometimes, you have to keep your eyes peeled for the signs! 👀

For Candace, it arrived disguised as bad news for her town:

An email about a local, yet national, pet retail store filing for bankruptcy and closing their Galesburg, Illinois location.

Most people would have filed that email away and moved on, but Candace can spot a Pet Boss opportunity from miles away, and she understood what this closure really meant for her community.

(Including an hour drive to the next closest independent pet supply store! 😬)

The pet parents in a smaller town like Galesburg still value shopping locally, getting in-person advice, and convenience, of course. This closure would present a glaring gap in her community. 

Evaluating opportunities for opening a pet retail store in your community

When considering whether to open a pet retail store, many entrepreneurs focus solely on competition. How many pet stores already exist? What are they charging? Can I compete on price?

But here’s what you should also be asking yourself:

Is there an unmet need that current businesses are not addressing? What kind of gaps exist? For example:

Product selection ➡️Maybe local stores focus heavily on dogs but ignore cat parents, or they stock basic supplies but lack quality nutrition options.

Service experience➡️ Do stores feel outdated? Cramped? Don’t have knowledgeable staff who can really answer questions?

Community connection➡️ Do current local pet stores have no loyal following? They’re not a present and supportive community member? 

Check for the gaps!  Drive around, visit existing stores, and talk to pet parents. Where are they frustrated with their current options?

What assets do you already have to help you open a pet retail store?

One of the biggest advantages Candace had when deciding to open a pet retail store in Galesburg was an existing asset– a 14,000-square-foot commercial building in historic downtown Galesburg that she and her husband had purchased years earlier.

Originally, this building was supposed to be an investment property to be rented out for steady passive income. But Candace and her husband struggled to find reliable tenants and dealing with the headaches of property management became more of a burden than a blessing.

Plot twist: This property became the perfect foundation for a retail empire!

The location was ideal, the space was massive, and most importantly, they already owned it, eliminating one of the biggest barriers to opening a pet retail store.

Don’t have existing real estate? Don’t let that stop you! 

Many successful pet retailers start by leasing space, partnering with existing businesses, or even starting with mobile/online services first. If funding and location are your biggest concerns, we’ll dive deep into financing options and location strategies in Part 2 of this blog series (or you can jump ahead and listen to Episode 176 of the Pet Boss Podcast).

Action steps for working with what you have to open a pet retail store: 

✅ List every asset you currently have. Savings, property, business connections, industry experience, existing customer base, anything you can think of! 

✅ Consider starting smaller. Could you begin with a mobile grooming unit, pop-up events, or online sales before committing to a full storefront?

✅ Investigate partnership opportunities with existing businesses that might benefit from adding pet products/services.

✅ Contact a commercial real estate agent to understand what’s available in your price range.

Validate your idea and gain support for opening your pet retail store

Having a great idea and prime real estate doesn’t guarantee success when you open a pet retail store. Candace knew she needed to get Galesburg on board and make sure there was solid community interest before investing a lot of time and money into this idea! 

So, where’d she start?  Social media. 

She started sharing the idea online, gauging reactions from her local neighbors and broader Pet Boss Nation® community. 

The response was very positive, but some people did have questions, and there were other factors to consider:

Didn’t Candace sell her pet businesses for a reason? Why was she pursuing another?

Could Galesburg support a more “premium” pet retailer?

How would online shopping compete?

Candace knew she sold her pet businesses because she had recognized the opportunity to sell at the perfect time, and this was no different. She was recognizing a NEW opportunity to OPEN at the perfect time. 

And the rest? They were considerations that would only help her to strengthen her business model and lead the way for ordering inventory Galesburg would respond well to. 

Action steps for building support behind your idea to open a pet retail store: 

✅ Post about your pet store idea on local Facebook groups and local neighborhood apps, like NextDoor, to gauge interest.

✅ Create a simple “interest survey” asking locals what they’d want most in a pet store.

✅ Start conversations with other local business owners! They understand the market and can offer valuable insights.

✅ Connect with your local chamber of commerce for community support resources.

✅ Document both positive feedback and concerns. Don’t let the concerns derail you. Plan for how you’ll address them! 

Officially taking the leap to open your pet retail store

Entrepreneurs often struggle with knowing when to take the leap. Is this the right opportunity? Is the timing good? Do I have enough information to make a smart decision?

Candace is a big believer that the universe sometimes puts things in front of you that just make sense. But you have to back those opportunities with LOGIC. 

You have to balance your intuition with some actual analysis. Candace’s instincts told her this was the right opportunity, but her experience validated that instinct with market research, financial planning, and strategic thinking.

Having built and sold pet businesses before, Candace understood the commitment required to open a pet retail store. She knew what worked, what didn’t, and what she’d do differently this time around.

Action steps for reading the signs and backing them with logic: 

✅ List the resources, connections, and experience you currently have that could support a pet retail venture.

✅ Identify what you’d need to acquire or learn before opening (funding, industry knowledge, retail experience).

✅ Set a decision deadline! Give yourself enough time to research thoroughly, but don’t get stuck in “analysis paralysis”.

✅ Connect with other pet business owners to learn from their experiences (the Pet Boss Nation® community is perfect for this!)

✅ Trust your educated instincts, but always back them up with solid research and planning. 

What’s your next step to opening a pet retail store? 

Opening a pet retail store might seem overwhelming when you look at the big picture. Finding locations, securing funding, building inventory… it’s a lot.

But if you’re reading this, you’re already starting a big step…

Recognizing an opportunity and having the courage to explore it. 💪

Maybe your version of the pet store closing email will be a conversation with a frustrated pet parent, a gap you notice when you’re out shopping,, or a space that becomes available in your dream location. Stay alert to possibilities and trust your educated instincts when they tell you it’s time to act.

Remember: You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start. 

Candace didn’t wake up one day with a complete business plan and unlimited funding. She started with curiosity, validated with research, and built momentum one baby step at a time.

If you’ve been thinking about opening a pet retail store, stop waiting for the “perfect” moment. Start with the action steps from today’s post, and join us in our free Facebook community to learn more about our programs and the community of Pet Bosses you’ll want in your corner as you gear up to open your pet retail store!

What’s the best thing that can happen? You could discover you’re sitting on the next great pet retail opportunity!

Ready to learn more about opening a pet retail store? In Part 2 of this series, we’ll dive into the business planning process that secured bank funding and set Dante & Dory’s up for success. Plus, learn how Candace utilized AI to help her write an amazing business plan in DAYS instead of MONTHS!

Want to connect with other aspiring pet entrepreneurs? Join the Pet Boss Nation® community where brand new AND seasoned pet business owners share insights, opportunities, and support for building successful pet businesses. Learn more about Pet Boss programs here!

More resources you’ll find helpful:

📍Pet Boss Podcast Episode 170 | Behind Closed Doors: Building a Pet Destination

📍Pet Boss Podcast Episode 176 | Writing a Pet Business Plan [Behind Closed Doors Series]