Sam Bennett adores dogs. In fact, although she loves her human customers, she says she’s most delighted when they’re accompanied to her store, Hollibels Home & Hound in Lavenham, by their pet pooches.
Sam reveals she was shocked at the lack of dog-centric shops in Suffolk when she moved here four years ago from London. “In the city, pretty much on every corner there’s a nice independent shop stocking really different items for dogs. I was looking for something similar here and there was nothing like it...it was mostly chain stores, which serve a purpose, but aren’t terribly inspiring!”
The entrepreneur was sharing her concerns at Lavenham Butchers, talking about making her own treats. “And they told me I could have the offal from their venison, the livers and hearts, because they don’t use them. I thought that was great.”
Over eighteen months, and with two dehydrators installed at home, she developed dried snacks her dogs went wild for. “The only thing was the smell was unreal,” Sam laughs. “My husband told me he wasn’t sure how he could cope with it any more. But I really thought it was the way forward. So many people are looking at their dogs’ diets, trying to give them healthier treats and reducing the amount of grain they have.”
Sam took on a commercial kitchen nearby, soon landing a spot at the award-winning Lavenham Farmers’ Market, adding another line to her collection – leads and collars made locally for her brand.
“Then in April I was offered a shop in Lavenham. To be honest, I wasn’t completely ready for that. I knew it was the direction I was heading in, but it wasn’t in my immediate plans. However, shops in Lavenham are like hens’ teeth. They come up so rarely I thought I’d have to go for it!”
Hollibels Home & Hound is entirely dedicated to treating dogs, and is filled with lots of things to keep them happy and healthy – including Sam’s own range of 12 types of homemade dog snacks, made with dried chicken, duck, pheasant, rabbit, venison and more.
“Something I love is our collars and leads,” she adds. “They’re made for us. They’re hand-knitted with yarn, which is glued to webbing to give strength, and lined with velvet. The beauty of them is they look fabulous, they’re strong, and they are really really soft on a dog’s neck.
“Sometimes leather collars, although great, take a long time to soften and become pliable. These are instantly soft.”
The collars start in sizes for toy breeds all the way up to bigger dogs, with a colour range from The Suffolk (hot pink) to The Lavenham (blue).
“If you can’t find the size you need, we can have one made to fit. Similarly, if you like the knitted part but not the colour of the velvet, we can have something made up for you. I’d really like for us to be a dog outfitters, where owners can bring their dog in to have collars and leads made to measure. It might take us a few weeks but everything would be completely unique.”
In the future, Sam hopes to add a bespoke-made dog coat service to the shop.
Elsewhere in Hollibels, shoppers will find a range of grooming products (from shampoos to paw balms) dog drying bags, cooling mats, dog bowls made in Bury St Edmunds, locally-made dog-friendly candles, and (coming soon) a range of beds.
“There are lots of things in the pipeline, but we want to make sure we source the right makers for all our products, for that personal feel.
“That’s so important to me. My view is your dog is part of your family – not just a pet. They are with us for their whole life and they deserve the best.”
Hollibels Home & Hound is shut Monday mornings and on Wednesday. Otherwise, it’s open 10am to 4pm daily. You can find them at Lavenham Farmers’ Market too (including this Sunday, July 24).
Find out more at hollibels.co.uk
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