Sep 27, 2010

Republic of Paws caters to pet lovers, both in town and onlineBy Bill RadfordGazette.com

Molly Smith is a pet lover and business owner with two miniature schnauzers and a tiny pet boutique.

But she is hoping to grow — her shop, that is, not her dogs.

Smith started Republic of Paws, an online pet specialty retailer, at the end of last year. In August, she opened a shop just east of downtown at Bijou Street and Wahsatch Avenue that offers a sampling of the products she offers online, including pet shampoos, collars, toys and canine backpacks.

“It’s a tiny space, about 300 square feet,” Smith said. “We stock about 65 percent of the products that we sell on the website.” The shop also offers various services, including pet food delivery and customized gift baskets.

Republic of Paws started online as a niche site to serve Sherpa Pet Group, a wholesaler that was in need of a direct-to-consumer website; Smith is the company’s e-commerce representative. The site has since grown to encompass other products, too.

“About 60 percent of the products that we sell are Sherpa Pet Group products,” Smith said. “Others are brands that we’ve found to be of equal quality.”

Smith runs the shop on her own, but has a helper on the website. The site sells luxury and quality products for dogs and cats and doesn’t try to compete with discount retailers, Smith said.

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