Tails are wagging at an Okotoks pet store and grooming salon that received two Best of the Foothills Readers’ Choice awards this summer.
Readers of the Western Wheel selected Chow Bella Pet Health Store and Grooming Salon as Best Place to Groom Your Pet for 2020 and third for the Best Pet Store.
Owner Kristal Gale attributes the recognition to a combination of well-trained and consistent staff, top-notch customer service, quality products and service and the relationships the staff has built with their clientele.
“We get to know our customers and their pets, and subsequently their families,” she said. “They trust us for providing them with information and consulting based on our experience and knowledge of pets. All of our staff do lots and lots of training to be up to speed on the latest information out there.”
Gale said Chow Bella offers its customers the best of the best when it comes to food, supplies and groomers, without the prices people would typically pay at an independent pet store.
She attributes Chow Bella’s gold status for Best Place to Groom Your Pet to the store’s exclusive groomer Jodi Watson, who’s been grooming dogs at Chow Bella for almost seven years.
“What I love about Jodi is she really caters to the dogs, as opposed to making the dogs cater to her,” she said.
“If the dogs want their hair cut on the floor, she will get on the floor.”
Grooming is done in a stress-free environment with no more than two dogs being groomed at the same time in an effort to reduce anxiety amongst the four-legged clientele, said Gale.
This year isn’t the first time Chow Bella has been recognized by its customers through the Best of Foothills Readers’ Choice awards.
“We’ve won awards lots of times, but we haven’t since some of the big box stores have come through,” she said.
“It’s nice that we saw some voters this year.”
Gale said she is honoured by her customers’ recognition – from those who have been with Chow Bella all nine years to the store’s newest customers.
“I appreciate all of our customers, but I want to give a special shout out to those who have been supporting our family-owned business for this long and continuing to do that and shop local,” she said. “That’s important in this community.”
