“I owned my first store when I was 17-years-old,” said industrious entrepreneur Darren, “and since 1983 I’ve developed and manufactured cosmetics and pet products.
I supplied the products to other stores and one of my best clients, ‘Woofles and Meowz’, is located in one of Vancouver,
BC’s busiest tourist areas, on Granville Island.
When the owner mentioned that his store was for sale, I made ‘no bones’ about buying it - and bought it three days later. No one would complain if I brought my dog to work - so buying it was a ‘no brainer’. I could earn money, spend time with my dog, and make other pet lovers and their dogs happy.
Customers were happy to see my dog. Especially tourists, because many hadn’t seen their
pets in awhile and they were missing happy-tail-wagging-welcomes.
The store also introduced me to a business and life partner! One day a friend arrived, with his friend, Cameron, and on the 7th anniversary of our first date, Cameron and I were married.”
After owning the pet shop for six years, they sold it because Darren was ‘itching’ to promote his own soap creations. So he and Cameron opened the “Soap Gallery” which is also
located on Granville Island.
“I enjoy the freedom of creating specialty items,” said Darren, “like our realistic Sprinkle Chocolate Donuts, Pineapple-Kiwi Cheesecake and Cherry Coconut Cake soaps”.
*** Not kidding! Darren artistically designs life size soaps that look more ‘real’ than gourmet cakes and food! His delicious looking creations nourish the skin and are pleasing to the eye errrr appetite, but don’t eat them! If you
do, it is like washing your mouth out with soap... and you’ll froth with foam like a rabid dog!
“We discovered that selling soap products,” said Darren, “is easier than selling pet products! Not everyone has a pet, but everyone uses soap! Our natural-gentle formulas are different than ‘normal’ store soaps because they are pH balanced for human skin and pets’ more alkaline skin. For pets, we add essential/fragrance oils as flea and tick inhibitors, then pour them into
adorable multi-colored paw-print soap bars!”
“We have soap making demonstrations/classes and our soaps have been sold to tourists from almost every country,” said Cameron. “You might say that our products are ‘cleaning up’ the world!"
*** Yes! As a tourist, I bought gifts for the family and cats’ baths for soft skin and clean fur!
“We enjoy having our pets at work,” adds Cameron, “and enjoy it too! They are
‘little’ social creatures. Most working people have to leave their beloved pets home alone, all day, but ours are constant company. As good as our products are, many people walk in the store not to see us but to visit with our dogs!”
*** Yes! So true! Their two itty-bitty-Tea-cup Yorkies, Pippi, seven-years-old, and Riley, five-years-old, are customer magnets - who instantly attracted me at their West Vancouver farmer’s market
location!
I noticed the windup-furry-toy looking dogs, all four pounds of them, THEN the soaps, and purr-chased several colorful-handmade Canadian people and pet products.
“Cameron and I are advocates of pet rescue organizations,” said Darren. “Each dog breed has certain traits and our two wee rescues are perfect. They charm us and our customers.
Don’t buy animals from pet stores which contributes to
the horrific puppy and kitten mill situations. Instead adopt deserving pets from rescue shelters.
It is a mistake to assume that older rescued pets are damaged; not trainable; or must be allowed to act out; or keep a learned bad behavior. Renaming them releases them from their past life experiences, so that they can gracefully move into their new life with you. As a dog trainer, I learned that dogs quickly relearn a new name - especially when food and
treats are involved.
Pippi and Riley are pure joy and ‘usually’ obedient pets who keep us laughing and guessing. They are not allowed to sleep on the bed but ‘every’ morning I wake up to a four-pound furry creature tranquilly resting on his back - on my pillow. Riley casually rolls his black button eyes in my direction, and has an adorable quizzical look that seem to ask, "What?! Is there a problem?"
We treat our dogs the way we want to
be treated - with the utmost of respect. They feel safe, secure, happy, and are well adjusted members of our family. They are trained with positive influences, not carried around all the time, not allowed to act out of fear or indecision, and fed a healthy diet. It took almost no time to have our two little rescues become smart, funny, and well socialized.
Pippi and Riley’ gift is their charm. They will never be guard dogs, but we wish they could be trained to make
our morning coffee!”
