Rochester area pet owners will have a new option this fall when shopping for kibble and collars.
Chuck & Don's Pet Food and Supplies, a regional retail chain, is building out a 2,696-square-foot store in the corner of the recently remodeled Barlow Plaza at 1117 Sixth St. NW.
The location also will feature a self-service pet washing station plus an outdoor pet exercise area. It is expected to open this fall with a grand opening event scheduled for the weekend of Nov. 4-5. The event will include free samples, pets for adoption and activities.
Mike Ward will manage the new location. Chuck & Don's has stores in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Colorado. The Rochester shop will be the 28th in Minnesota. The closest store to the Med City is in Northfield.
In an announcement about the new location, Chuck & Don's CEO Bob Hartzell said, "Rochester continues to be a leading city in Minnesota and is a perfect location to bring happiness to pets. We are very excited to announce this new location and bring our knowledge and pet expertise to this valued community."
After 36 years in business locally, Rick Weiss has sold his two Insty-Prints shops in Rochester and Red Wing.
While Weiss is stepping back, Bob and Ilaya Hopkins are stepping up as the new owners of the businesses. They are re-branding them under the name of Allegra.
"We see Rochester as a huge growth opportunity," said Bob Hopkins at Tuesday's announcement of the change at the 2410 N. Broadway location in Rochester. "As Allegra, we'll do everything Intsy-Prints did and more. We'll go beyond print to offer complete marketing solutions."
Insty-Prints-turned-Allegra has 14 employees at the two locations.
