Day 28: For our Four-Legged Friends!

I don’t remember how I first stumbled upon Pet Supply Outlet, but it’s been almost 7 years now and I love it just as much now as I did day one.

It’s family-owned, so chances are you’ll run into Rick or his sister, Jolene, both are fabulous.

When I first started going here my dog was just over a year old and had terrible allergies. Her incessant scratching left bald splotches all over her skin. Rick helped me find a food that would reduce her allergies and improve her coat. Her scratching stopped almost immediately, and her baldspots were soon replaced with healthy fur. We were also able to stop her prescription Benedryl.

Although every product isn’t organic, they do focus primarily on holistic foods, supplements, and treats. Don’t worry, it is an outlet, so you won’t pay a month’s grocery budget for your pet’s food!

Rick is a wealth of knowledge, though. You can even bring your dog in and he’ll help you decide which food would be best for your favorite furry friend.

Don’t have a dog? Pet Supply Outlet often has rescue days with local organizations so you can find a one that needs a loving home.

Cat lover instead? They have plenty there for you too: food, treats, and toys.

Because this is a large warehouse space, there are three other complimentary businesses within the same building: a vet, full-service grooming (or self-wash), and dog daycare/boarding. When you go to pick up your pet’s food, allow a few extra minutes so you can watch the daycare dogs play!

I love that I’m greeted by name shopping here (that’s one of my favorite parts of shopping small!), but with Pet Supply Outlet I love how much they’ve helped our family pet most of all.

Have a picture of your favorite pet?

Day 16- What’s old is new again…

If you drive approximately 30 miles east from my house, you’ll end up in Chicago. If you drive the same distance west, you end up in Morris.

Two polar opposites.

Today called for a little bit of solitude and quiet…definitely not the city.

I try to go to Morris 4-5 times a year. It’s a quaint little area with a five block downtown area. My favorite part about it- aside from the Hallmark store, they’re all small businesses. Some of them have probably been in the family since Morris was established!

My favorite vintage/resale store used to have a 2nd location in my town, but now just the original exists. It’s about 4x the size as the one we had! Set aside some time when you hit Vintage: Yesterday’s Memories, Today’s Treasures. Although it is overflowing with amazing furniture, antiques, repurposed items, and just plain awesomeness, it doesn’t feel overwhelming. You can actually follow a relative order throughout the never-ending space. But, look everywhere! Up, down, on the walls…and don’t expect to see everything the first go around. While almost everything is vintage, repurposed, or handmade, there are some “shabby chic” resale items so you will find a few “made in China” items here and there. I didn’t find anything for myself today, but I did pick up an antique lantern for my step-father. He can make a lamp out of ANYTHING!

Vintage doesn’t have a website, but follow them on Facebook and she posts great pictures of new/seasonal items.

My next stop was right across the street at Blackbird’s Bowl Barkery. This is no ordinary dog/cat pet food store. Owner Tammy Janel is the real deal in creating healthful treats and food for your furry friends. You’ll find real, human-grade ingredients in her treats- all with a conscious concern for your pet’s wellbeing. Is your pet (and you!) suffering from their incessant scratching, shedding, or digestive issues? Tammy can help suggest dietary changes and supplements all with a holistic element. Even though I buy my dog’s food closer to home, I always pick up some treats when I’m in the area- she had her nose in the bag before I could even get my coat off!

I planned on those two stores as my only stops, but Tammy told me about another store that recently opened & it’s neighbor store. Tomorrow I’ll tell you about Gigi & Lola. So glad I found them!

I’m a true sucker for vintage stores- I’ll happily take a great vintage necklace over anything in a Tiffany’s box any day. Where is your favorite vintage shop?