Pet Store & Bakery, Bon A-Pet-Treat is a beloved Calgarian-owned business that has been delighting pets and their owners since 2006 with all-natural pet food, handmade treats, and unique pet products. Discover how their journey began nearly two decades ago in their home kitchen, inspired by the health transformation of their own dog, and how it has since grown into four bustling locations across Calgary. Learn about their commitment to quality, from sourcing local ingredients to crafting their famous wheat, corn, and soy-free treats in-house. Get insights into their dedication to pet welfare, their connection with the local community, and even a fun fact or two about their store cat, Elroy. Whether you’re a loyal customer or new to their offerings, this interview provides a delightful look into what makes Bon A-Pet-Treat! a trusted name for pet lovers in Calgary.
What is your business called and what does it do?
Since 2006, Bon A-Pet-Treat! Pet Store & Bakery is a 100% Calgarian-owned and operated business that specializes in all-natural pet food, supplements, toys, and more, available in four locations across the city! We are known for our exclusively handmade cakes, cookies, and ice cream that we make right in-store.
What made you want to do this work?
Nearly twenty years ago, we discovered that an all-natural food diet had eliminated the chronic ailments from our dog so we began baking treats in our home as an all-natural alternative. We decided to share the awareness with others and started selling our products at local festivals and year-round farmers’ markets.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
We wanted to give pets and their owners some options in a fun and unique way! We’re talking about freshly baked goodies made from scratch and ensuring that all products are totally wheat, corn, and soy-free. Plus, we only use unprocessed, human-grade ingredients without any artificial flavours or preservatives, which helps cut down on sensitivities and allergies.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
Anyone who wants the best for their furry friends!
How does your business make money? How does it work?
We locally source our ingredients and partner with our farmers’ market neighbours as much as possible to ensure we offer the highest quality ingredients and products to our customers.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
We are open daily in our Bowness and Britannia stores and year-round in both Calgary Farmers’ Market locations (West and South). You can also sniff us out at seasonal festivals and markets around the city.
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
What differentiates you from other pet stores?
As a family-owned business for the past 20 years, we value local brands and quality pet foods as well as education and awareness on pet advocacy and ethical sourcing to our clients. Being a small business forces us to be very picky on what we bring in store which helps the customers too!
Who makes the cakes and cookies?
All of our cookies, cakes, and ice cream are made in-house from scratch by Bon A-Pet-Treat! employees, using all-natural and human-grade ingredients.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
Our store cat Elroy, who manages our Bowness location, would not accept any answer other than him being the best part of our day, but let’s be honest: seeing and sampling treats out to our regular dog customers at our Britannia location is also a treat for us! We love getting to know the people and their pets.
The worst part is helping customers through the difficult and challenging parts of their pets’ journey.
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
Probably having to explain and then seeing people’s faces when we tell them what our 100% natural and single-ingredient bully sticks are made of!
Where can we follow you?
Website | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | LinkedIn
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
Owl’s Nest Bookstore is our next-door neighbour at our Britannia location. Our customers love stopping in there when they visit us!
