Three years ago, Woodbury resident Michelle Latulippe-Garcez was a stay-at-home mom who had just brought home the family's first dog, a golden retriever named Triscuit.
At the Mall of America, she "fell in love" with the concept of a gourmet dog treats kiosk, called Just Dogs Gourmet. She did market research, put together a business plan and purchased a franchise herself this year.
Latulippe-Garcez co-owns the store with her husband, Ubiratan Garcez, in the City Walk shops at Woodbury Drive and Hudson Road. Open since May, it sells an array of dog treats made with natural ingredients at a bakery in Pennsylvania.
"We thought Woodbury has a demand for it. A lot of people in Woodbury have dogs," she said. "Not only do they have dogs, but they're kind of more pampered pooch people."
Latulippe-Garcez credits part of their success to the resources available to small-business owners. She worked with the St. Paul chapter of SCORE, a national small-business counseling organization, to put together her business plan.
They also worked with a local banker to apply for a Small Business Administration loan for up to $87,000 to help start the business.
Latulippe-Garcez said their timing in opening the business had its pros and cons. "Because the economy is so slow and has its ups and downs, retail commercial space available here in Woodbury is plentiful," she said. Negotiating the lease was much easier than it had been when they first started looking at spaces in 2007, Latulippe-Garcez said. At that time, rent was higher and lease terms were much longer.
On the other hand, right now, "people are a little more careful of what they spend their money on," she said. Items considered luxuries have been hit the hardest in retail sales since the economy tanked.
