It seems only fitting that we have the honor to announce our latest award as 2023 America’s Coolest Pet Store & Resort on our founder’s 40th Birthday.
Evolve & Expand
From 800 Square Feet to 10,000+
Shupe expanded her original store with services and space three times before purchasing in December 2019 the property for today’s Fur Baby Pet Resort. It spans 10,000 square feet and has a 3/4-acre outdoor play yard.
“2,000 of that is devoted to our boutique,” she says. “We got intentional and focused on nutrition, what is important to our pet parents and the health of our fur babies. The rest we’ve devoted to day care, hotel and spa.”
The larger footprint meant a $400,000 investment and revitalization of a rundown building that had been empty for 20 years. The former storage facility for farm equipment offered a depressing welcome to downtown Milford.
“The rehabilitation of this building allowed us to reimagine the gateway into our hometown and make it a warm welcome for other small businesses,” Shupe says.
Its bright blue exterior catches the eyes of passersby, with more muted blues and greens covering the walls throughout the inside and complementing the building’s bones.
“We kept the industrial feel but provided much-needed structural updates: new plumbing, electric, flooring, insulation, HVAC, walls, siding, windows, massive overhead garage doors!”
Pandemic-related shutdowns extended the buildout timeline from four months to 13.
“I always like to think that everything happens for a reason,” she says. “This time was helpful for us. We used it wisely to rethink our operations and develop a more educated, robust team.”
So proud of my wife for being recognized by Delaware Today magazine as one of the 2023 Faces of Delaware!
The Face of Luxury Pet Care, Nutrition and Retail
Delaware Today July 29, 2022
Fur Baby is an award-winning, full-service pet resort offering doggy daycare, overnight hotel, spa grooming and gourmet grocery since 2011.
• Featuring over 10,000 square feet of indoor & outdoor play yards
• Luxury overnight feline & canine hotel accommodations
• Spa grooming with trained technicians
• Gourmet grocery specializing in biologically appropriate nutrition complete with Raw Bar & Bakery
• Convenient online reservations
• Certified pet care specialist on site 365 days a year
FUR BABY
301 NE Front Street, Milford, DE 19963
302.725.5078 • FurBabyPetResort.com