Behind The Business: East Coast Dog
For our first feature, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Jenn, the heart behind East Coast Dog. What started as a lifelong love for dogs has grown into a beloved Halifax pet shop, known for its commitment to quality service, a strong team, and deep community roots.
Join us as we dive into her journey—what inspired her to start East Coast Dog, how she’s setting her business apart, and why local support means everything.
1. What inspired you to start East Coast Dog?
“I’ve had a lifelong love for dogs, an obsession that only grew stronger when I adopted my first pup, Winston. I spent my childhood surrounded by family dogs, and after becoming an owner myself, it grew as a passion that eventually fueled my business pursuits. Fast forward through several years of customer service experience, a Bachelor of Design in Environmental Design, and continuing education studies in User Experience Design and User Interface Design. I then spent two years managing and helping to expand the services of a small dog walking company in Toronto. That was followed by another couple of years working at a local pet shop, groom salon and doggy daycare, here in Nova Scotia. At that point, rooted in my passion for dogs and equipped with my expertise in service and design thinking, I felt a strong desire to contribute to engage with my local community in a more meaningful way, so I opened East Coast Dog in 2022.”
2. How do you set your business apart from others in the area?
“Not only do I make it our mission to exceed service expectations, delight & educate our customers, and connect with our community – I know that it is essential to create an empowering workplace for my team of dedicated service professionals. Throughout my experience in the Service Industry, I quickly learned that it is an industry that really lacks mental health support, fair wages and paid days off, amongst other basic benefits that allow teams to succeed and grow. From the launch of East Coast Dog, at the forefront of my mission as a leader, has been my commitment to building a healthy, inclusive and sustainable workplace. The strength of our team is each individual member, and I believe the success of our business, thus far, has been a direct reflection of that.”
3. Why did you choose to open your business in Halifax?
“I live right around the corner from the shop – East Coast Dog is truly “locally owned.” In fact, the location was a major factor in inspiring my venture. The gutted space that is now our leased storefront sat empty for several months before East Coast Dog moved in. I used to walk by with my two pups, passing several other dog owners en route, thinking to myself, “someone should really open a pet store here.” Eventually, on one of those walks, I instead thought to myself and decided that maybe that someone should be me! This was after relocating to Halifax from Toronto about a year prior, and finding myself in a place of personal and professional reflection and I was looking for a new direction. It was in that headspace that I found my way to the exciting and engaging pursuit that has become East Coast Dog.”
4. What’s been the most exciting moment in growing your business so far?
“I don’t know if I could choose just one moment, because there have been countless exciting and exhilarating moments on this journey so far. Opening day, of course, feels like a really special memory, given all the hard work and preparation that went into launching the business, and the long road that brought me there. In the two years we’ve been in operation, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to connect with some very inspiring people – other small business owners, vendors, brand reps and various members of the community – which has also made for some of the best and most exciting moments to remember.”
5. How has the support from the local community contributed to the growth and success of your business?
“The support from our community has been the most important contributing factor to the growth and success of East Coast Dog. This incredible journey would simply not have been possible without the support and love of our clients, local vendors, brand reps, dedicated employees, friends and family. The trust and loyalty of our local community inspires us everyday to keep doing what we do best – caring for and providing only the best for our customers. Our local community is the heart and soul of East Coast Dog.”
The support from our community has been the most important contributing factor to the growth and success of East Coast Dog.
6. Lastly, what advice would you give to someone thinking about starting a business in the local area?
“As a small business owner myself, one of the things I truly love is the sense of community that comes with being part of the local area. The relationships you build with customers, other local business owners, and the support network you create are incredibly rewarding. My advice to anyone thinking about starting a business in the local area would be to focus on building strong, genuine connections. Understand your community, what they need, and how you can contribute to making it a better place. Also, don’t be afraid to lean on other small business owners – they’re often the best source of advice and support. Starting a business is a lot of hard work, but the personal connections and the impact you can have on your community make it all worthwhile.”
Jenn is a true example of how passion and community can create something special. Stay tuned for more inspiring local business stories in our Behind The Business series, where we highlight the entrepreneurs shaping our community. Know a business we should feature next? Let us know in the comments!
