The Landmark, April 20, 2022
With new store, Brookfield is going to the dogs The Urban Mutt opens location in Hollywood storefront
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By JACKIE PISANO Contributing Reporter
For over a decade, Chad Lopez and Cynthia Gaspar have dedicated their efforts to enriching the lives of hundreds of west suburban dog owners through the caninecentric services, events and expertise offered at their store, The Urban Mutt. With two locations in Berwyn’s Depot District and downtown LaGrange, the husband-wife duo spent years building relationships with clients, striving to offer them a unique, old-fashioned, customer service-based approach to shopping for all their dogs’ needs in an environment cozier than that of a big-box pet retailer. Twelve years after opening their original storefront, The Urban Mutt is now tackling a new challenge — weaving itself into the neighborhood-centric fabric of Brookfield. On March 10, The Urban Mutt’s new Brookfield location quietly opened its doors at 8520 Brookfield Ave., turning an outdated storefront into a modern, onestop shop for all your dog’s needs, from food and health to play and safety. The new Brookfield location signaled the closure of the original Berwyn store, providing the business with larger square footage and an introduction to a community the couple says seemed eager for a niche pet store. The Urban Mutt’s origins trace to the late aughts. Lopez, who previously worked as an on-air carpenter on HGTV’s “Designed to Sell,” began learning more about dogs, including the variety of products and services blossoming in the industry. In February 2009, he and his wife launched an online web show called “The Urban Mutt,” featuring Chicagoland’s dog-friendly services and dog owners. As Lopez and Gaspar began learning more about the world of dog products and services, they began hosting in-person, dog-friendly events. People began asking them where their retail store was, and while they didn’t have their own business at the time, they figured, “Why not take the plunge?” In December 2009, they opened their first
Editor Bob Uphues Equity Editor/Ombudsman Michael Romain Digital Publishing & Technology Manager Briana Higgins Food Editor Melissa Elsmo Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Sales and Marketing Representatives Marc Stopeck, Lourdes Nicholls Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Development & Sales Coordinator Stacy Coleman Circulation Manager Jill Wagner EMAIL jill@oakpark.com JACKIE PISANO/Contributor
Now open in Brookfield, The Urban Mutt is a cozy version of a full service retail shop for your pups. Cynthia Gasper and Chad Lopez, husband and wife duo, see heavy paw traffic already. storefront in Berwyn’s Depot District, and it grew fast enough that Lopez and Gaspar decided to open a second location, settling on LaGrange’s bustling downtown. Lopez says what has set The Urban Mutt apart from other pet retailers all these years is simple — the mom-and-pop business’ approach to truly getting to know its customers. “Our main focus is always going to be customer service,” he explained. “We know our customers, we know what their dogs need. We’re able to pivot a lot faster than a bigger store, so if somebody needs something we don’t have, we can specially order it in and get it pretty fast. And, we carry a lot of things that the big box stores don’t really carry — a smaller, more curated selection.” Fast-forward to 2019 — despite a looming pandemic, The Urban Mutt was busier than ever, and Lopez and Gaspar decided it was time to expand. Originally, they figured they would keep
the LaGrange location but look for a larger Berwyn location. However, after looking around for a new space in Berwyn, they say they couldn’t find any space which fit their needs. Then, during the pandemic, they wondered about pivoting to more of an online sales and delivery-style model. They considered having the LaGrange store be their sole storefront, and a new, larger location serve as more of a warehouse-style business with delivery options. In November 2021, the couple closed on a new property in Brookfield, and as they began renovating the Brookfield space, they quickly noticed how many dogs were in the immediate area and were surprised by the amount of foot traffic. So, they made the decision to transform the Brookfield location into a full-fledged retail experience. “It was really the people in the area that changed our mind,” Lopez said. “They See URBAN MUTT on page 10
Publisher Dan Haley Business Manager Joyce Minich
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer
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