Paws On Main—

Food, Fashions, And Fun For Four-Legged Friends

Doggone tired of the lack of shopping destinations for your best furry friend? Now the discriminating dog has a place to go to find a gourmet pup-pie, a designer sweater, or a stylish bowl and placemat all under one roof.

Paws On Main, a specialty shop for pets and their owners, has opened in Monroe’s Stepney Plaza next door to Senor Pancho’s restaurant.

Paws On Main is the dream of Diane Alena, a Sandy Hook resident, who has turned her love of animals into a unique supply and gift store catering to dogs and cats, and the people who love them.

“I wanted to offer a warm, fun, community-based alternative to the typical warehouse-style pet store,” Ms Alena said. “The service here is very friendly and personalized.”

Paws On Main’s mission is to improve the lives of animals by being a resource for information about pet overpopulation and pet wellness, as well as donating a portion of profits to animal-related causes. Paws On Main this month is hosting cat-adoption days on Saturdays for The Animal Center, a nonprofit organization based in Newtown; several kittens were adopted.

“I want people to feel good about shopping here,” Ms Alena said. “This business is driven by a love of animals and a desire to help those less fortunate. We carry many products made by companies that support animal charities.”

“We recognize the importance of the bond between people and their companion animals,” she said. Increasingly, dogs and cats are no longer considered just pets, but as members of the family. This fact is evidenced, Ms Alena said, by the popularity of a bumper sticker which says, “Let me get this straight; my grandchild is a dog?”

Visitors to Paws On Main are welcomed by a bone-shaped neon sign in the front window and a dog statue that sits outside, holding a tray of treats. Inside, a “barkery” case displays an assortment of fresh, all-natural goodies for dogs including peanut butter cups, cannolis, and “Lady Paws.” The freezer case is stocked with doggie ice cream, marrowbones, and raw food.

Unique toys and gourmet treats are available for all sizes of dogs, as well as for cats. Paws On Main carries everything from catnip-filled “Chicata” bananas to Fido Fleece outerwear to aromatherapy spritzers for the fragrance-challenged pooch.

The store is also a place to buy necessities such as beds, leashes, and collars, dietary supplements, nail clippers, and pet-safe ice melter.

A variety of premium natural pet foods includes Bravo! Raw diet, Steve’s Real Food, Spot’s Stew, Merrick, Triumph, Wysong, Solid Gold, Canidae, Eagle Pack, Wellness, Pet Guard, Pinnacel, Precise, Evanger’s, and the Newman’s Own organic line. Many other foods are available by special order.

Paws On Main offers free delivery of food orders of 25 pounds or more, providing an easy way for busy people to serve their dogs and cats nutritionally superior foods without the inconvenience of making an extra trip to the store.

“I used to buy my pet food and treats in the grocery store mainly for the convenience, and because I just assumed the products I was feeding were healthy,” Ms Alena said. “However, the truth is that the majority of commercial foods do not use meat as their first ingredient, and most also include animal by-products, which means things like beaks and intestines. The use of fillers and artificial colorings and preservatives is also common.”

Allergies are practically an epidemic among pets, and a change of food is often the first step to better health, she said.

Gifts, cards, and books for pet lovers also figure prominently in the store’s offerings.

“I’m always drawn to dog and cat items when I’m shopping, whether it be a set of notecards or a spoon rest,” Ms Alena said. “I think there are many people like me who would enjoy having a central place to shop for dog and cat themed merchandise.”

Breed-specific “welcome” slates, hand-painted mugs, sterling silver charms, and “life is food” hats and shirts have all been popular with customers.

For a pet’s birthday celebration, Paws On Main has party packs complete with paw print balloons, hats, bandannas, bone-shaped candles, pooch pizza, and “Happy Birthday” bones, cakes, or peanut butter-flavored pup-pies.

Gifts baskets are available for any occasion, as are gourmet treat party trays for pet birthday celebrations and obedience school graduation parties.

Ms Alena and her husband, Jerry, moved to Newtown four years ago, around the time that their son, Jordan, was born. Leaving the insurance industry to stay home with her son, Ms Alena looked for a business that would incorporate her love of animals. She found the model for this boutique pet store on the Internet.

“The reception so far has been very positive,” she said. “It’s rewarding to see people smile and laugh as they browse, and it makes my day when people bring their pets in to visit.”

Paws On Main is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday from 10 to 5; Thursday and Friday from 10 to 6, and Sundays 12 to 4. The store is closed Mondays.  For more information call 268-7663 or visit the website www.pawsonmain.com.