A couple months ago, hammering, drilling, and general obnoxious construction work started beneath my feet in my apartment at the Wilson Building downtown. Instead of being annoyed, I realized that construction was a good sign and meant downtown was growing. And I moved to the other side of the Wilson.
This week, I got to see the final product of all that construction–a family owned pet supply store. I sent intern Becca Brooks to check it out. Her report is below. But just know this: my dog, Miko, has already given it his seal of approval. He had the ears off his new giraffe within minutes of me giving it to him. Neither of us are huge fans of the “z” in Pawz.
Adrian Bustos knew the risk he was taking when he decided to start a pet supply business in downtown Dallas in a 2010 economy, but he says he would always regret not trying. At the time, he lived at the Wilson loft apartments on Main Street. He was sick of driving 20 minutes for his picky dachshunds, Bella and Little Bear. He saw a need, and in hopes the odds would be in his favor, he opened Downtown Pawz, a family-owned and operated organic pet store, two years later.
“Many downtown residential units are pet-friendly, but pet owners had nowhere to buy their products,” Bustos says. The store is located inside the historic Wilson Building on Main Street, and it takes a keen eye to spot the store amongst minor construction. Before he and his wife moved from downtown Dallas, Adrian lived above the space he now owns.
As you walk in, expect a warm greeting from both the ambient green walls and the pet-obsessed owners. Aidi and Adrian want both you and your pet to feel like family. If dogs could design their own supermarkets, this would be the Tom Thumb of them all. Neatly organized food, collars, leashes, toys, and dog costumes are on display. Your pet can practically make his or her purchase.
The space was vacant for years, Bustos says. There were offers to put in candy and convenience stores, but Dallas Realtor, Jack Gosnell, ultimately chose the pet store. “He gave us the exclusive,” Bustos says. “The landlords were really excited about the idea of a single pet supply store downtown,” In fact, Forest City Texas, a company made up of three downtown apartment buildings including the Wilson, funded the remodel of the space.
After two years of planning and remodeling, Downtown Pawz provides downtown Dallas pet owners a one-stop shop for pet products in the heart of the city. The store is clearly doing well already because the Bustos family feels welcomed by the community in their first week of business. There are plans for a full grooming and delivery service by May 2012.
Downtown Dallas is not just the stomping grounds for businessmen and construction workers. Nearly 7,000 residents call the Central Business District home, and one thing is certain: they love their pets. So, if your dog leads you to Main Street on your next morning walk, it’s probably because of the irresistible smell of all-natural ingredients in stock at Downtown Pawz. –Becca Brooks
