Today we’d like to introduce you to Georgia and Steve Goldberg.
Georgia and Steve, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My wife, Georgia and I, were shopping for our two Airedale Terriers Harry and Arthur and we couldn’t find a store that satisfied our desire to find the best quality products available for health, style and happiness. Our dogs were family members and we took them with us whenever and wherever we could. We had seen good food and treat stores and boutiques in our travels but a combination of all didn’t exist so we decided to create it.
We opened in 2002 in Solana Beach and after a successful year we searched and found a great location in La Jolla on Girard Avenue and opened there in 2003. We were discovered so to speak by an experienced retailer and joined forces to open 3 more stores and an online business and we were very close to being purchased by William Sonoma. We were chosen as one of six “Hot New Concepts” by the International Council of Shopping Centers in 2006. In 2007 we opened our 3rd location in Fashion Island, Newport Beach followed by Tucson, Arizona and Boulder, Colorado. In 2008 the recession hit and capsized the Williams Sonoma deal.
We reformulated our business plan and closed the Arizona and Colorado stores to concentrate more on local growth for our brick and mortar stores as well as invest in our online business. In 2015, after a decade in Fashion Island, we lost our space to a retail expansion. Currently we have our two original stores and have grown our online business exponentially. We are currently looking at 2 new locations for stores in the San Diego area as well as replacing our Newport Beach location.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Between the big recession of 2008 and online shopping taking the majority of retail growth these days, it has been anything but smooth. However, we have learned a lot throughout our 15 years in this business and are encouraged that we are still a strong concept that customers love both in our stores and online.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Muttropolis – what should we know?
Muttropolis is the very best store for your very best friend. We specialize in the best quality pet products for dogs and cats and we do not compromise. We are the antithesis of a big box pet store and we are experts at finding the best products for the health and happiness of your 4-legged family member. We stand alone in the pet space with our merchandising and offer the most stylish products from collars, leashes, feeders, beds etc. We also have extraordinary customer service from our very passionate sales staff who love our concept and share our passion for what we do.
I’m most proud of our unwavering commitment to quality and the people who execute our strategy. No compromise and this isn’t a corporate slogan or a force fed corporate culture, it’s real passion for what we do and who we are. What sets us apart from others is our unique shopping experience and fun atmosphere. Many of our customers start smiling once they walk into Muttropolis and some have even dropped to their knees thanking God (Dog spelled backwards) that we exist!
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Creating an environment that conveys our message from the top to the bottom and executes at all levels. This can only be accomplished by working with the right people who share your philosophy and passion and we have those people. Whether you purchase a product in one of our stores or online, you get the same quality experience that in the end, makes you and your pet family happy.
Contact Info:
- Address: 227 South Cedros Ave., Solana Beach
7755 Girard Ave., La Jolla - Website: www.muttropolis.com
- Phone: 888-688-8799
- Email: support@muttropolis.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muttropolis/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MuttropolisFans
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/muttropolis
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/muttropolis-la-jolla
- Other: https://www.yelp.com/biz/muttropolis-solana-beach
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