When it comes to our feline and canine companions, many of us will go to any length to ensure they live their best lives. Chow Down Pet Supplies makes that easier by offering all kinds of goodies for our four-legged friends, and a recent move to new and larger premises in Montrose means even more of the good stuff.
A Family Affair
The original Chow Down location opened in Evergreen way back when in the mists of time. It was then purchased in 2003 by Jay and Kelly Henry. Seeing growth and, therefore, opportunity around the state, Kristi Bush and her husband Joe got on board, facilitating a westward expansion by opening a store in Grand Junction. Keeping it in the family, Joe Bush’s brother, Tim, and his wife, Krista (not to be confused with Kristi,) got involved by opening the Montrose store in Nov. 2012. The two families still oversee all five of the Chow Down Stores (Fruita and Pagosa Springs are the other two), but Krisita is quick to point out that the staff are important to the company’s success. “We’d be lost without our staff. They’re incredible, and we’d be nothing without them.”
Pure Intentions
And while Chow Down is a thriving business, Krista says it is their own pets, and their various health issues, that continues to drive them.
“We’ve all had pets that have had various health issues, and we’ve all gotten into nutrition and different ways to make the lives of our pets better,” Bush says. “I got really involved after we rescued an incredibly sick Great Dane. I was looking for different options to help him thrive, and I began to learn about nutrition and other ways of ensuring [GREAT DANE] lived the best life he could.”
Location, Location, Location
The original location in Montrose, on the corner of Selig Avenue and Main Street was packed with everything a cat or dog could want or need, but the shopping experience wasn’t ideal. When the end of the lease approached a decision was made to look around for more suitable premises. The old Montrose Daily Press building fit the bill.
“It was very important for us to stay as part of the downtown core of Montrose,” Bush says. “We’re not a big box or a franchise, and we don't have a corporate structure. We are still family owned and operated.”
The public parking lot adjacent to the store along with additional street parking helped seal the deal. The new location on the corner of Park Avenue and South First Street has increased space by 75 percent to 10,500 square feet, allowing Chow Down to stock more products and offer a better allround shopping experience.
What’s on Offer
Chow Down has built a reputation by caring about what they sell and what they recommend to customers. “We avoid a few ingredients that we aren’t crazy about in food and treats, and we definitely look for brands that are smaller and more family owned that are maybe putting a little more thought into what they put into their products,” Bush says. One very notable thing about the new location is the cat section, which has grown in size from the old location - and rightly so. Bush says they will always do their best to find what your pet needs and to help you stay within your budget.
Other than food and products, Chow Down also offers grooming and self dog wash stations, a dedicated space for dog training classes, and a cat adoption room that houses cats from Montrose Animal Shelter.
Chow Down also regularly holds adoption events and fundraisers for animal shelters and a range of charities as a way to give back to the community they are thrilled to be a part of.
In case you need another reason to visit, shop cats Mikey, Pineapple, and recent addition, Toast, (aka Toast Meow-lone) are on hand as resident toy testers. You can even follow Pineapple on Instagram @pineapple_kitty_cat_.