Pet lovers know no bounds when it comes to making cats and dogs of all shapes and sizes part of the family.
Batavia business owners Andy Wood and Andy Guerrette have elected to focus not only on those four-legged friends but the people who care for them with their newly-opened CāDō & Company, a shop that seeks to provide “high-quality upscale products designed to improve the lives of cherished pets and those who love them.”
Owners say their concept is not a pet store but more of a lifestyle boutique for celebrating cats and dogs, and their business name is a hybrid of those animals
Wood, 60, of Joliet, said he worked for years in corporate America in international trade compliance and was looking for something completely different to do after feeling burned out.
“A lot of it for me was age. I’ve wanted to be my own boss and felt like the clock was ticking,” Wood said. “I was getting burned out and wanted to go ahead and do what I’ve always wanted to do.”
Wood said the store at 103 E. Wilson St. in downtown Batavia, which opened at the end of March, offers a range of products that has surprised a lot of people.
“Our store’s major products are decor, housewares, clothing, artwork and books as well as high-end, upscale pet products,” Wood said. “People who treat their animals that way – when they’re not a dog or a cat but a member of the family – those people get it, and that’s who we’re catering to.”
The Batavia location, Wood said, is great, adding that “with a strip mall location we wouldn’t get the right clientele here.”
“We wanted a place that was more artsy – more pedestrian traffic, the smaller boutiques – the mom-and-pop places,” Wood said. “We looked in Chicago along the waterfront and Navy Pier with all the tourists. We also checked Geneva hoping to be there but we couldn’t find a spot that would work or was available. Then we found this store in Batavia. We like the space and the location and great visibility.”
Products in the store, Wood says, “come from all over the world,” including Indonesia, Italy and the United Kingdom.
“We even have some hand-woven dog beds that were made in Ghana in West Africa,” Wood said. “In terms of local producers, the closest is probably Plainfield. We’re not making anything of our own yet, but our products come from all over – small artisans and companies that work out of their garage. A lot of it is handmade items. We buy things that are ethically produced and environmentally conscious.”
Early customers, Wood said, have been buying clothing for themselves despite the fact that the store does sell pet clothing as well.
“The clothing we sell for people is pet-related with prints on it,” Wood said. “Decor itself, knick-knacks, things you’d decorate your house with. We carry lamps, statuary prints, things like that. We’re the pet lover’s paradise aiming more at the pet caretakers and celebrating the love for their pets. It’s a lifestyle.”
Guerrette, 44, also of Joliet, said he enjoys the sales part of the shop and has “worked in sales before.”
Guerrette said “dog beer and dog bubbles” have been popular items at the shop.
“There’s no alcohol in the dog beer. You can pour it into a dog bowl like water or put it over their food,” Guerrette explained. “It’s like adding chicken broth to something.”
Guerrette agreed with Wood that clothing has been a popular option as well at the store.
“We also have some retro toys and every customer is different,” Guerrette said. “You don’t have to have a pet to show up here.”
Laurie Long of Batavia stopped in at the shop recently and said it was her first time at the store.
“I have a pet, and I’m also thinking about a gift for a friend of mine and getting some ideas. They have a lot of really cute stuff, both for gifts and for people who currently have pets. I think it’s a great place to look around and get ideas for the future,” Long said.
Long said the owners “are very helpful and I’m sure would help you put together a gift basket or gift idea. It’s one of the more unique places I’ve ever seen.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.