Shop Talk at Village Pet Supply

Greg Gamier, 47

Co-owner, Village Pet Supply

740 S. High St., Columbus

614-443-1784

Your store has been around for six years, and recently moved to this location, on the corner of High and Frankfort. Would you tell people about your shop?

We can do everything except provide the pet. We are really big advocates for adoption, for shelters. I've never bought a pet.

This is not a Foo-Foo type of pet shop, right?

No.

So people might not find the latest doggie bows, but you know your stuff-especially when it comes to pet nutrition. You carry mostly holistic foods. Which do you favor?

Number one would probably be Halo. It is extremely healthy. A lot of people are looking for a limited-ingredient diet, and that would be considered a limited-ingredient diet. The less ingredients, the higher quality the food is. It makes for a smaller stool on the dog, and that's what a lot of people are looking for.

Any other specific favorites?

Chicken Soup for the Dog or Cat Lover's Soul. It is a holistic food that is all human-grade ingredients. I've seen first-hand how that can change a coat. And a coat on a dog tells a good deal about its health.

Speaking of coats, you actually sew some dog coats yourself. What sparked an interest in dog fashion?

I was getting frustrated with the quality of the coats I was purchasing to sell. Part of me thought, "How hard could this be?"

When your grandmother passed away, then, you were left with a beautiful sewing machine that your mom taught you how to use, yes?

She came down here for a weekend. She showed me how to get it done.

Let's talk about your own pets. How many do you have?

Three cats and two dogs. And fish.

Your business partner, Jeff Lowe, has also been your life partner for 25 years. How has owning a business been on the relationship?

Everybody thought that was the biggest disaster we could ever have, but it hasn't changed a thing!

Thanks to requests from customers, the two of you also pet sit, right?

Yes. We do dog walking, pet sitting. Customers were like, "Well, we trust you guys!" It gets a little crazy, and our calendar gets a little nutty, but we figure it out.