The following is an interview with Emily Spell, co-owner of Marblehead Mutts, conducted by Discover Marblehead. Marblehead Mutts opened their doors on Aug. 5 at 35 Tioga Way. It offers a variety of services to meet the needs of dog and owner, including all day socialization, enrichment and training. To learn more or take a tour of their space, go to marbleheadmutts.com
Tell us about Marblehead Mutts and why you started it. I’ve been in animal health for over 20 years and loved every minute. Now that I have a family, an active, adorable 2-year-old and three awesome stepchildren, I started to consider opportunities closer to home. I know so many people who are driving their precious furry family members several towns away because there is simply not enough space to meet the demands, so Hannah (Fuccione) and I started discussing the possibilities and looking for available space. Hannah saw the listing for our current location at 35 Tioga Way and we jumped at the opportunity.
We’ve made the commitment at Marblehead Mutts to be a training and enrichment center for your pampered pooch. It’s our goal that your dog goes home tuckered out from a full active day of play but also learns basic training and socialization skills with our trained staff, enrichment puzzles and obstacle courses.
Marblehead Mutts has 5,500 square feet of indoor play space, as well as 2,000 square feet of fenced outdoor play space. We would love for you to visit us. Stop by our open house on Saturday, Sept. 21, noon-4 p.m. with the whole family. It will be a fun day with Mad-Dogz hot dog cart serving lunch, a bounce house for the kids and our staff on hand to play with your pooch.
What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received? My parents have always worked for themselves, so I grew up sitting around the family dinner table talking about business. What I’ve learned from their success is that you must always be present in your business, never ask your staff to do something you wouldn’t do yourself and strive to be consistent.
What is your favorite spot in Marblehead, and why? I had the pleasure of living in the Barnegat neighborhood for a long time. My best moments were waking up early on summer mornings and paddling out to Brown’s Island with my Rhodesian ridgeback, Charlie. It’s magical down there when the water is calm, and you get to enjoy the island all to yourself. It’s worth the early wake-up.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? My family is originally from the North Shore, but we moved away when I was 10 years old. I was raised in the Virgin Islands and still have deep connections to St. Thomas. My work brought me back to this area and I could not be happier living in our beautiful seaside town.
The business spotlight is a weekly feature published in partnership with Discover Marblehead. To learn more, visit discovermhd.com.
