When Robert Iacobucci tried to find a pinstripe coat in Toronto for his new puppy four years ago, he came up empty-handed. "He's an elegant dog, and I wanted an elegant coat for him," says Iacobucci. "But there just wasn't anything out there." He and his partner, Paul Currie, quickly realized that finding stylish accessories for their six-month-old basset hound, Ben, wasn't going to be easy.
Frustrated by the lack of high-end dog gear in Toronto, the couple took a trip to New York, where they saw an array of products they'd never come across at home, including funky, high-quality dog beds. There was nothing like that north of the border, so Iacobucci, who's always had a knack for drawing and was inspired by the decorative creations he'd seen in NYC, designed the perfect bed for Ben—complete with headboard and footboard—and had a woodworker create it. "The bed turned out beautifully," says 33-year-old Iacobucci. "And it actually became a stepping stone to opening Dogfather and Co."
The couple decided to give dog-bed designing a go as a side business (Iacobucci, a former chef, was then working as a set painter, while Currie worked as a chef). They crafted a few of their luxurious dog beds and rounded up some high-end products—such as bowls and treats—and, in June, 2003, headed to Woofstock, an outdoor dog festival that showcases the latest canine products and services. "People loved what we had there," says Iacobucci. "They just gobbled it up."
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Iacobucci and Currie had no intention of opening a high-end dog accessory store until they brought home their first puppy, a basset hound named Ben. They couldn't find stylish, high-quality gear for their new pooch, including the right dog bed. So they built one—complete with wooden head- and footboard, and patterned mattress. Ben's first bed inspired the couple to open Dogfather and Co., a Toronto boutique for spoiled pups. Construction and renovation: $28,000 Start-up inventory: $68,000 (including their trademark dog beds, 300 collars and 150 leashes) Other start-up costs: $5,000 (including point-of-sale equipment and computer) Total start-up costs: $91,000 Rent: $2,400 a month Staffing: $1,500 a month (one part-time) Inventory: $8,000 a month Other monthly expenses: $1,400 (including maintenance and utilities) Total monthly expenses: $13,300 Number of $290 Juicy Couture dog carriers they need to sell per month to break even: 46 |
The positive response got them thinking about giving up their day jobs and opening a store where they could feature their dog beds. But at $1,400 a pop, they knew selling just their custom creations wasn't going to work. Carrying all kinds of dog accessories—including collars, leashes, bowls, treats and carriers—had to be part of the mix. At the time, only a couple of other retailers had opened high-end pet stores in the city.
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And Iacobucci and Currie felt certain there were other dog owners in Toronto like them—people who wanted the best for their pets and were willing to pay for it. (They were on to something: Canadians spend more than $3 billion a year on their animal companions.)
They planned to get everything in place within a year, in time to open for summer 2004. But just before Christmas 2003, they came across the perfect property in Toronto's tony Rosedale neighbourhood. They loved the character of the century-old building, and the 800 square feet the unit offered was just the right amount of space. The real bonus was the dog park across the street and the private courtyard in the back where Ben could roam.
Though the location came sooner than they'd hoped, they weren't going to pass it up. "We jump when we need to jump," says Iacobucci. The pair saw the place on Dec. 23. Five days later, they took possession as tenants. They secured financing by liquidating their assets (including an antique collection), and borrowing from their bank and families.
The space, located on the main floor of the building, had most recently been used as a one-bedroom apartment and essentially had to be gutted—they needed to knock down all the walls, and install new flooring and lighting. As the construction carried on, they began to order inventory. "We had a phone set up right in the middle of the renovations to do our ordering," says Iacobucci. Stocking shelves was a hugely important part of the process. They weren't willing to sell any old thing at Dogfather and Co. That was the whole point—to offer only top-of-the-line, unique dog accessories that would enhance the lives of both dogs and owners. "We try to avoid selling products we've seen in other stores here," says Iacobucci. "We scoured the internet, trade shows—any place we might see something other people had not. We wanted our store to be a completely different experience for our customers."
Their shelves stocked and their renovations nearly complete, everything was on track for their opening date of Feb. 7, 2004. But just a week before the big day, half the store's floor was destroyed when the building's old pipes busted. "The store was like a skating rink," says Iacobucci. The mishap didn't delay their opening, but it did set them back $1,100. And when opening day finally arrived, they were confronted with yet another problem: an electrical fire that caused a two-day power outage. The landlord picked up the tab, but it delayed opening until Feb. 9, which they estimate cost them $2,800 in sales.
The response was mixed at first. "One of the biggest surprises was people's reaction to spending money on a dog," says Iacobucci. "Some people seemed resentful. There were a few chuckles. But most people were excited about it."
Two years later, Iacobucci and Currie are going strong at Dogfather and Co. They hired their first employee, part-time, last August ("We needed to go on vacation!" says Iacobucci). He credits their success with their insistence on keeping stock fresh. "Most of our customers come back about once a month," he says. "Every time they come in, we want there to be something new for them to see." Dogfather has actually discontinued selling lines they've seen pop up at other retailers. Their commitment to change is so serious, they constantly change the look of the store as well: "Every wall in the store has been painted four times," says Iacobucci. And testing each product on Ben and their second dog, a Chihuahua named Riley, is how they ensure their primary customers—dogs—are satisfied. "I give them the toy, and if they don't run with it, I think about it," he says. "And we line up treats on the floor and pick the ones they go to first."
In fact, spending time with their dogs is he and Currie's favourite perk. "I love that my dogs get to come to work with me every day," says Iacobucci. "The moment we opened the store, it was pure exhilaration, and it still is today. I love what we do. I love being in the store. It's like being at home."
