NEWS

The Nines Pet Boutique will open its doors on Main Street in Gloucester to furry friends and neighbors on Sept. 26, becoming the second business to launch as part of an entrepreneur contest sponsored by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

The Nines Pet Boutique is located at 6582 Main Street in Historic Gloucester Village, with a grand opening celebration planned from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. The first 30 customers welcomed into the store during the grand opening will receive a special gift from owner Karin Fary and The Nines team.

Fary’s business is the second-place winner as part of the Launch Gloucester program, one of the three in the state that’s part of McAuliffe’s Virginia Community Business Launch Initiative. Through the program, The Nines secured a prize package valued at $30,000 to include $10,000 in start-up capital, $1,200 in rent and utility abatement and a marketing and communications package worth $13,000.

The program was administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The Gloucester Main Street Preservation Trust served as the local overseer of the grant in Gloucester. A total of five new businesses will open on Main Street this month as part of the program.

The Nines will offer upscale clothing and accessories, collars and leashes, toys, bedding, grooming supplies, and nutrition products for your canine and feline companion. In addition, the Nines will offer pet lovers breed-specific merchandise to include housewares, clothing, and other accessories as well as photography services.

“My goal with the business is to enrich the human-animal bond by providing pet owners a specialty boutique to pamper canine and feline companions, as well as create treasured memories through photography,” Fary said.

Fary’s vision for her business is a place where pet lovers can treat their companions and find products locally rather than online.

Pet photography will be offered and within two to five years she hopes to expand to pet grooming, training and wellness coaching.

With 24 years in the veterinary medical field, Fary has extensive experience with pets. She’s also a co-founder of the “Giving Garden Foundation,” which assists cancer patients in Gloucester and Mathews and has distributed $70,000 in assistance since it’s founding in 2008.

A love of Gloucester and the local shops and a desire to be a part of the community inspired Fary to compete for the start-up capital in the Launch Gloucester program.

“We love Gloucester, the local shops and restaurants and what they do for our community and we really want to be a part of that,” said Fary.

For media inquiries or to learn more about The Nines Pet Boutique, call 804.824.9625, email info@theninespetboutique.com, or visit www.theninespetboutique.com.

The Nines hours of operation will be Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sundays from noon until 6 p.m. Photography services are available by appointment only.