It’s a bit of a coincidence how Liz and Quincy Zikmund came to own Give A Dog A Bone, a natural pet food market located at 5626 E. Virginia St.
The Evansville couple had been shopping at the store for a number of years for their pug Murphie before Liz took a job there in 2012. As time went by, it became a bit of a joke between the Zikmunds that if the store ever went up for sale, they would take over ownership.
“Then in February 2014, the owner asked if we wanted to buy it,” says Liz. “And I immediately said yes. I went home and told Quincy, ‘Hey, she offered and I said yes, is that okay?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, yeah!’ It was really a fun start to everything.”
The couple finalized the purchase and became the official owners in July 2015, not once looking back. On March 19, the Zikmunds along with their staff and customers celebrated Give A Dog A Bone’s 12th anniversary and recent expansion into a store space three doors down from the former location.
“We really like this complex and we love our neighbors,” says Quincy, who also is a freelance web designer. “One big reason we wanted to move over was we were just cramped in our former store. We wanted more space and to create an even better experience for customers, especially for dogs that come in.”
For Liz and Quincy, owning Give A Dog A Bone isn’t about making a sale, it is about finding the perfect food or treat for dogs and cats and their owners. Their focus is nutrition and natural wellness, and being locally owned allows them to control the product on their shelves.
“We’re not really interested in just selling products. We want to educate and inform people, teach them how to read ingredient labels and what’s good for their pets,” says Quincy. “We look after our customers.”
The Zikmunds like to keep things small; carrying products from small businesses that are like-minded is important to them. Creating a bond with customers also is important. They encourage their staff to ask questions and get to know the pets and pet owners to find foods that will fit health and taste, as well as budget.
“We’re able to work with people, get to know their pets, and get to know them,” says Liz. “Building long-lasting connections is the best part of this business.”
For more information about Give A Dog A Bone, call 812-402-2663 or visit facebook.com/DogBoneMarket or dogbonemarket.com.
