Meet Renee Palmer of CityDog Market in Brookhaven and Avondale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Renee Palmer.

Renee, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
After spending 12 years in various corporate positions, I left the conference room for the doghouse and in 2002, I opened a dog daycare & boarding business. During that time, I observed the role nutrition played in the well-being of my customers’ dogs, the foster dogs in my care, and in my own pets. A few years later I sold my business and began planning the opening of a retail store focusing on healthy and holistic products to pet parents as an alternative to big box store choices and poorer quality grocery store options. At that time, Brookhaven was one of the healthiest zip codes in Atlanta so I figured if health was a priority for people then it would also be a priority for their pets.

In April of 2008, CityDog Market opened offering more than 30 healthy pet foods, premium treats and chews, unique pet accessories, a self-service dog wash, and in-store obedience training. After celebrating 9 years in Brookhaven, in June of 2017, I opened a second store in Avondale Estates. Just as Brookhaven was a small neighborhood when CityDog first opened, Avondale Estates is also a small town with big ideas. Since we are a small company with big plans, choosing Avondale seemed like a good place to build another local neighborhood store. CityDog Market has been very warmly received by the Avondale community and we are thrilled to be a part of this vibrant, growing neighborhood.

Has it been a smooth road?
Like the old saying goes, there is a reason the windshield is bigger than the rear-view mirror. I don’t focus on looking behind me but rather on the road ahead. I’ve made what appeared to be missteps along the way that turned out to be great growth opportunities. I often tell our team the only way we can improve is to uncover, discover and discard what works and what doesn’t. A willingness to change, improve, and actively look for ways to be a better company is exciting!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with CityDog Market Brookhaven & CityDog Market Avondale – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
It’s our hope customers walk in as a guest, but walk out feeling like family, that’s why we greet our customers with a warm welcome. Our goal is to build relationships with both our two and four-legged customers and offer products and services that strengthen the relationship people share with their pets.

In the age of online and impersonal chain store shopping, walking into a welcoming store like CityDog Market is an experience. Customers will find more than 30 healthy food choices in kibble, canned, freeze-dried and frozen raw plus a wide assortment of healthy treats including our own brands and other locally made products. A customer favorite at both locations is our Chew Bar offering over 100 choices for dogs of every size. Along with healthy foods, treats and chews, CityDog Market is the go-to place for pet owners looking for really cool stuff for their best friend like fun toys, collars for every occasion, and unique pet accessories. Of course, the most fun of the CityDog experience is having your pup shop with you!

In fact, the only thing we’re serious about is your dog’s health. Along with a fun shopping experience, customers love our private, self-serve dog wash stations where all supplies and the clean-up are provided. In the Brookhaven location, customers can take advantage of in-store training classes held every six weeks.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
CityDog Market is both a retail and resource store where we match problems with products. Sometimes customers have blind spots, they don’t know what they don’t know. Our job is to listen to their needs and make recommendations to the best of our ability. I often say our customers are “raving fans”. Nothing makes my day better than running into a customer at the grocery store or a local restaurant and listening to them share a personal positive experience of how a product or a team member helped their pet.

To help navigate all the choices at CityDog Market, our employees complete a minimum 3-month extensive training program where we emphasize customer relationship building, general nutrition knowledge, and 5-star service followed by verbal and written training tests.

We value a diverse staff where everyone has a seat at the table to offer new ideas and insights for ways we can improve. We constantly challenge our team to communicate any barriers they have to enjoying their work experience.

One of my personal mantra’s is “to whom much is given, much is required”. CityDog Market considers our customers our shareholders which means their return on investment is our commitment to their community. Simply put, I believe you get what you give. Over the years, our customers have graciously given to our donation drives and in turn, CityDog Market has a strong give back program to our local neighborhoods and to our homeless pet community. We are rescue and spay/neuter advocates and we actively promote the need to foster and adopt, or to donate your time, talents and money to the many wonderful shelters and rescue organizations serving the Atlanta area

Contact Info:

• Address: 4244 Peachtree Rd NE Atlanta Ga 30319
  32B North Avondale Rd, Avondale Estates, Ga 30002
• Website: www.citydogmarket.com
• Phone: 678-206-3416
• Email: info@citydogmarket.com
• Instagram: citydogmarket
• Facebook: citydogmarket facebook.com/citydogmarket Avondale
• Twitter: citydogmarket
• Yelp: Yelp.com/biz/citydog-market-atlanta

Image Credit:
CityDog Market

Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.