Pet Shop Girls

Three young businesswomen open a unique petique.



Whoa, doggies: Two satisfied customers in Le Chic Petique. photo: Christina M. Felice

It might seem silly or even inappropriate in this time of war to open a boutique for pets. We’ve been told in the past few weeks to abhor frivolity, to embrace only those things that are "truly" important. But for a lot of us, our pets are one of those truly important things. We all hold this truth in the front of our minds: that we should love our pets, and pamper them as much as possible, no matter how discouraging our current economic downturn may be. There are those among us who feel a can of tennis balls, or a bath towel as a blanket, is just not worthy of our animal companions. These are the people who might call their children’s pet "the grand-dog," or ask them to put the cat on the phone to hear it purr.

Three such people are in fact savvy businesswomen who saw an opportunity to open a new store, The Chic Petique in Queen Village, which provides pets (and their owners) with one-of-a-kind, beautiful, useful gifts.

A store for Fido and Kitty is certainly not a new concept, with animal Kmarts like PETsMART cropping up all over the place. This town has seen its share of specialty pet stores come and go as well. But The Chic Petique is a new type of pet store born out of its predecessors — think of it as the mom and pop version of PETsMART, helping with animal adoptions and raising money for shelters while selling the latest products, or the hip version of chichi pet stores. And this store isn’t owned by your typical mom and pop. Owners Lindsay Condefer, Juliette Polizzi and Rachel Buck are young and urban, and offer an edgier stop for pet lovers. Their cozy shop caters to dogs and cats only, and sells wellness foods and new age treatments for both. And the owners all refer to their pets (two English bulldogs, a rottweiler, and two cats among them) as their children.

At age 22, Condefer may be the youngest dual store steward in Philly. (She also runs the skate shop Nocturnal with her pro skater boyfriend.) The Chic Petique opened its doors just three weeks after the disasters on Sept. 11, and Condefer says she had the complications of opening a new business at this time in her mind, but is trying to be optimistic. And, she says, there are simple reasons behind her fancy-on-the-surface-seeming store.

"Our pets are like our children, and my friends and I would find ourselves traveling for, like, an hour outside of the city to get unique items for them," she explains. "And hardly any pet-supply store in town stays open after 5, so getting pet food wasn’t easy. We tried to structure our hours to give people a couple of extra hours to come home and walk their dogs, then stop in. We wanted a place that was friendly, and a way to spoil your pets for the same price as anywhere else."

Which is to say, you can get a really cool dog toy (I’ve got my eye on the tennis ball with a soft-but-strong canvas handle, so your hands don’t get drool-y during a game of fetch) for around $4. Of course, you can also spend more than that, on gourmet doggy treats or pampering beds and blankets.

The items are special, but not that much more expensive. Like the mint-scented, dense, rubber dog ball that looks like the planet Earth. "They’re really bouncy," says Polizzi, who also moonlights at The New Wave Café, "and the bumps let the dog get a good grip on it, and make for a funny bounce. We also just got these great necklaces in for dogs, for sure my favorite item. They’re like beaded people jewelry, very colorful and with a hook, so you can add charms. They’re nice for dress-up or special occasions."

And wearing a necklace won’t be the humiliating ordeal that strapping on antlers or a Santa hat provides. Along with rawhide and catnip mouses, there’s also an aromatherapy rack of natural scented oils that may alter your dog’s mood. An answer to one’s prayers comes in the form of dog-breath oil, which is made from parsley (just like Breath Assure). Just put a few drops on your dog’s food and enjoy the fragrant benefits that follow. Goodbye, kibble breath!

Though a few Rittenhouse ladies are already regular customers, The Chic Petique isn’t just a Joan Shepp for cats and dogs. Does it sound like a cliche to say the owners care? Well, they do. They already have a successful pet-adoption process in place, working together with Nicole Eichmann, a volunteer at the West Jersey Animal Shelter and a dog walker. Condefer says, "We have all the photos up of animals that need homes and have a pretty a good success rate. I’d say we’ve helped about four or five dogs find homes since we opened up. We’d like to do more."

The Chic Petique already feels like a clubhouse for dogs. On a given weekend afternoon, it’s not unusual to have to step over 20-somethings and their pooches lounging on the floor of the shop. "We encourage people to bring their dogs so they can try on the coats and collars and things," Condefer says. "It’s easier to get a good fit when you have the dog with you. And it’s more fun. We find half our customers bring their dogs, half don’t. The other half go back home to get their dog!"

The store’s next expansion will come in the springtime: a doggie café, complete with barstools and tables. And, of course, Condefer adds with a laugh, "The dogs will eat off real plates!"

616 S. Third Street, 215-629-1733.