The Wags Mission
Founded by Dena Gilmore in 2002, Wags to Wiskers is a community-based pet supplies store with a focus on natural, holistic pet foods, primarily for but not limited to dogs and cats. "I don't want to be like a big-box store," she says. "I've always wanted to be like a corner store where customers become my friends and they can get help solving their pet care problems."
Dena, with a Masters degree in business and 8 years of successful work at Ford Motor Company under her belt, woke up one morning with a need for work that offered more meaning. She remembers musing “what do you love, what do I love?” She knew the answer was pets. “I don’t want to wake up in thirty years and wonder what I did to give back. I know I can make a difference; I can do it with pets."
The Wags philosophy has thrived and Dena now has four locations in Michigan. We love having pets in our store (it's a great way to help them socialize), have a Loyalty Rewards Program to get free food, treats, and discounts, and we regularly donate thousands of dollars/hundreds of pounds worth of dog and cat food to numerous local rescues in southeast Michigan. Dena lives in Tecumseh, MI with 3 dogs.