Holler, Brighton’s gay-owned dog boutique, is paw-fect for the pampered pooch
Out of ten, it's at least a solid (ca)nine...
People are getting dogs in record numbers during lockdown, which is no surprise as it is the perfect time to train a pup – and they often become the favourite member of the family (just don’t tell your boyfriend that…)
Holler, Brighton’s contemporary pup boutique, was launched in 2019 by partners Cian and Ryan; Cian covers the business side of things, while Ryan is more front of store. The shop is located in trendy North Lanes, but Cian tells us that they are glad they launched their online store before lockdown as it has done wonder for their sales.
Experts in, ahem, doggy style, they sell their own in-house-designed collars, harnesses and leads, including some fetching rainbow wear. Other premium must-haves are the cosy beds from Danish company Tadazhi, quirky, fair-trade crochet toys designed by Ware of the Dog in New York City, and gorgeous leather gear (for the dog!) by London’s Vackertass.
Attitude spoke to Cian and Ryan about the launch of their paw-fect shop…
How has your first year of trading gone?
Holler enjoyed a flying start when we opened our doors last summer. We hoped to create something special here, but nothing prepared us for such an amazing reaction, and the popularity we enjoyed so soon from our customers – we are beyond grateful. We were able to launch our website much earlier than we expected because of it, and we are already creating Holler’s own line of dog accessories, winterwear and beds for this coming season.
What has the reaction been to your shop?
People stop to take photos of our store, from day one we were ducking out of view of camera lenses – I never imagined that happening! People flock to Brighton to enjoy our diverse and creative environment, and us locals choose to live here for that reason too. We are extremely proud of Holler and I like to think our store compliments this incredible city.
Why do dogs deserve premium products?
Dogs are very much part of our families, even surrogate children for many of us. We celebrate having them with us in our lives and we treat them the same as we do our loved ones. Cities and towns are becoming more dog friendly too, this means we get to enjoy having them with us a lot more. They deserve the best and there are some stunning products available – we all enjoy a bit of luxury so more of us are choosing to treat ourselves and our companions to something special.
Read about more LGBTQ-owned doggy businesses in the Attitude October issue, out now to download and to order globally.
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