From grooming to high-end food and treats, pets are a booming business in Ypsi. We talked to the owners of two recently opened pet businesses in the greater Ypsilanti area about what inspired them to go into business, their approach to pet care, and how business is going so far.

Depot Town Cats and Dogs: "It's a really happy place"

After spending years of her career helping other small business owners, Holli Andrews wanted to try her hand at running her own business. So she opened Depot Town Cats and Dogs at 46 E. Cross St. in Ypsilanti in April, holding a grand opening in May.

"I knew there were so many of us who were driving quite far to find a little independent pet store, so I decided to open one up," she says. "And it's been great. People have been so happy they don't have to drive so far."

Andrews says she's worked 15 years in public service, most recently as a director of Saline Main Street. She owns a home in Depot Town, a five-minute walk from her shop, and says she had a feeling her shop would be well received. It wasn't just a gut-based decision, though. She worked with the Small Business Development Center at Washtenaw Community College on her business plan from the beginning. She also put out a QR code survey asking area residents if they'd visit a pet store in that location and what foods they'd like to see stocked.
Doug CoombeDepot Town Cats and Dogs owner Holli Andrews with Levi.
She now stocks high-end dog and cat food, treats, toys, and other pet supplies. Many of her items are fair trade and/or locally manufactured by a small business, including Michigan-based Frontier pet food.

She notes that Frontier and the other brands she carries are high quality, but adds that her business model is "to keep it affordable."

"My mission with the business is that everybody can afford to give their pet the nutrition they need, or quality toys, and don't need to worry about recalls. I want pets to have what makes their lives nice," she says.
Doug CoombeDepot Town Cats and Dogs.
Andrews brings a sense of whimsy to her business, ranging from the decorations to the shop dog, Levi, to the store's signature first public offering. Ypsi Pets on Parade is an opportunity to parade your cute pet around Depot Town while blowing kazoos stamped with a dog paw design at 6:30 p.m. each Wednesday.

"We have so much fun. It's a really happy place," Andrews says.

Depot Town Cats and Dogs is open noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays, and closed Mondays.

Mitten's Pets: Building a "cat-centric culture"

Mitten's Pets is the only Ypsilanti-area grooming and boarding facility focused solely on cats. Owner Hannah Moretto opened the shop at ​4033 Carpenter Rd. in Pittsfield Township in early 2022.

Currently, the facility offers cat-only grooming as well as boarding in either a one-room "cottage" or a two-part "suite." Two groomers specializing in cats, including Moretto, are on staff.

Moretto has 10 years' experience grooming both cats and dogs but says she wanted to open a "cat-centric" business.
Doug CoombeMitten's Pets owner Hannah Moretto.
"I like to say that, in the pet world, cats are like the men's section of the clothing department," she says. "It's smaller, with limited selection, and guys are always asking why they don't have more options and there's so much focus on the ladies. I'm trying to build a cat-centric culture here."

She says she has groomed cats in a facility where both cats and dogs are welcome, but it's not ideal. Most of the cats — and their owners — appreciate the cat-only atmosphere.

"We still get some spicy cats here sometimes, though," she says.
Doug CoombeA cat boarding room at Mitten's Pets.
As for boarding, sometimes people ask if cats aren't better off just staying at home with a big bowl of food rather than being boarded.

"I tell them that cats are social creatures, even if they seem independent," she says. "They're not pack animals like dogs, but they still need socialization."

Moretto says the pet grooming trade isn't well regulated but she encourages anyone considering the field to get some training. She trained at the National Cat Groomers Institute of America, based in South Carolina. 
Doug CoombeHannah Moretto, Ashley Boyles, Leea VandenBerg, and Kayla Miller at Mitten's Pets.
She's also certified in pet first aid for both cats and dogs, and offers classes at the store about once a month, depending on interest. All her staff is trained in pet CPR and she says she thinks pet owners should know first aid as well. Moretto says pet CPR training is also helpful for groomers because it teaches them how to handle pets' bodies and how to spot potential health concerns. She notes that groomers often are the first to find issues that a client should refer to a vet, but pet parents can also learn to do at-home exams of their pets to find issues even sooner.

Mitten's Pets' lobby is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and open at other times to repeat clients by appointment.

Sarah Rigg is a freelance writer and editor in Ypsilanti Township and the project manager of On the Ground Ypsilanti. She joined Concentrate as a news writer in early 2017 and is an occasional contributor to other Issue Media Group publications. You may reach her at sarahrigg1@gmail.com.

All photos by Doug Coombe.