STORE AROUND THE CORNER: Sniglet's Dog Bakery

You won’t find many businesses where you are greeted at the door by the company’s chief operating officer, but at Sniglet’s Dog Bakery, you get something close.

Sniglet, the company’s namesake and CTO (chief tasting officer) is sure to greet any guest who enters the store.

The dog bakery offers an assortment of natural and organic pet foods, homemade dog treats, interactive pet toys, grooming items, supplements and even pet apparel.

“People can eat the (homemade dog) cookies,” said owner Jennifer Rebokus-Scott, who owns the business with her husband Doug Scott. “We specialize in natural or organic dog and cat food.”

Before having Sniglet, Rebokus-Scott and her husband had four dogs — two German shepherds and two miniature dachshunds. Jennifer said she began making dog treats for her dogs as a way to save money, and the feedback she received from neighbors and friends who got samples was tremendous.

A 2007 recall on a dog food product she was feeding her own animals made Rebokus-Scott and her husband begin to research what they were giving their dogs. What they learned — combined with feedback about the homemade dog treats — birthed an idea for a pet supply store a few years ago.

But the couple sat on the idea until recently, when they noticed a vacancy in the University Walk Plaza.

“Now’s the time,” Rebokus-Scott said. “Life’s too short to wonder, ‘What if I’d have done that.'”

The store opened Aug. 28 by Panera Bread.

Rebokus-Scott said her lifelong love of dog and experiences in caring for them through illnesses such as cancer and digestive issues, lend themselves to being able to better assist customers and meeting their needs.

“A lot of the business is driven by customer service,” Rebokus-Scott said. “You have to know your products.”

For more information on Sniglet’s, visit the store’s website at www.snigletsdogbakery.com.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

BASICS
Sniglet’s Dog Bakery
Location: 2827 University Parkway (University Walk Plaza)
Phone: 358-7644
Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday
Line of business: Pet specialty store
Employees: One
Year established: Opened Aug. 28
What makes the business unique: “We don’t carry a lot of the items a big box store carries," Rebokus-Scott said. "All of our food is natural ingredients.”