Tamie Waugh Designed Cobber’s Pet Pantry Around Her Genuine Love For Animals

Cobber’s Pet Pantry, Enumclaw, WA

OWNERS: Tamie Waugh, Bill Waugh; FOUNDED: 2012; locations: 1; AREA: 4,200 square ft.; Employees: 3 full time, 6 part time; website: cobberspetpantry.com; facebook: cobberspetpantry INSTAGRAM: cobberspetpantry; youtube: missyandcleo; TOP BRANDS: A Pup Above, Austin and Kat, Badlands Ranch, Bixbi, Bold by Nature, Carna4, Dr. Marty’s, Farmina, FirstMate, Frankly Pet, GivePet, Green Juju, Koha, Lix, Nature’s Logic, Northwest Naturals, Nugget’s Healthy Eats, NutriSource, Open Farm, Raw Dynamic, Shady Cat, Smack, St. Rocco’s, Steve’s Real Food, Tall Tails, Tuesday’s Natural Dog Company, Weruva, Woof

BEFORE CUSTOMERS EVEN REACH the front door of Cobber’s Pet Pantry, they’re greeted by store cats lounging in a front-yard catio and dogs exploring a small park beside the building. The entrance itself resembles a doghouse, playfully introducing a business where nearly every detail has been designed with pets and their people in mind.

“Cobber’s is more than a place to buy pet food and supplies. It’s built around a genuine love for animals and the people who care for them,” owner Tamie Waugh says.

That approach has helped the business grow into a thriving specialty pet store generating $1.2 million to $1.3 million in annual sales. Since opening in 2013, Cobber’s has exceeded its financial projections every year while building a loyal following of pet parents seeking premium nutrition, trusted advice, and fun, personalized shopping.

Designed to Delight

Many of Cobber’s most recognizable features began with a practical challenge. When Waugh and her husband and co-owner, Bill, bought the building out of foreclosure, the colonial‑style front included columns the city wouldn’t let them remove. “The Snoopy doghouse-style entry was born from my strong dislike of the columns,” she says. “We had to get creative.”

That creativity weaves throughout the 4,200-square-foot store. Waugh has incorporated reclaimed barnwood from her own farm into custom displays and décor elements that help create a “cool, rustic whimsy” aesthetic. Tennis ball green and natural brown appear throughout, reinforcing a brand identity that customers immediately recognize.

The on-site dog park was part of her original vision. Without such a space in town, Waugh fenced in a small area outside, exclusively for customer pets. “It fills a need as well as attracts interest from passersby,” she says. “It’s perfect for dogs wanting to sniff, zoom, and socialize in a calm and secure setting.”

The catio, like the resident cats themselves, was an unplanned addition that has turned into a signature attraction. When a nearby pet store went out of business, Waugh stopped in and learned its two cats were headed for a shelter. “I came back with the cats,” she says.

Worried her own pets would not welcome new roommates, Waugh brought the shop cats to Cobber’s, intending to find them homes. Instead, they thrived as in-store celebrities, greeting customers and shamelessly begging for treats. “Once we decided to make them permanent residents, the catio was added for their enrichment,” Waugh says. Visible from the road, it gives Missy and Cleo a safe place to relax while providing entertainment for customers and passersby. “The girls sit outside and people watch, and get many compliments.”

Inside the store, elevated cat walkways connect to handcrafted cat trees. The structures provide enrichment — and serve as demo products — while encouraging customers to watch and interact. They often comment on Missy and Cleo’s soft coats, ask what they eat, and leave with Smalls food after learning it’s their favorite. (The pair serve as official brand ambassadors.)

Like with the catio outside, the engagement becomes part of the experience and another example of how Cobber’s turns shopping into an activity as well as a transaction. “For people who love animals, a trip to the pet store should feel like a joy, not a chore,” Waugh says.

Designed for Connection

While Cobber’s appearance may catch pet parent attention, it’s the relationships that keep them coming back. “We know our customers by name, and we know their pets by name, too,” Waugh says. Many people stop in whether they need supplies or not, visiting with staff, checking on the store cats or simply enjoying the atmosphere.

Those connections start with the store’s team. When hiring, “I look for employees who lead with energy — a genuinely cheerful, welcoming presence that reflects the spirit of the store,” she says. “Advanced product knowledge can be taught; enthusiasm and heart cannot.”

The result is a close-knit team with remarkably low turnover. Staff members celebrate birthdays together, gather outside of work, and share a commitment to create positive experiences for customers and their pets. They step out from behind the wraparound counter to greet shoppers, ask how their pets liked last week’s treats and offer to carry heavy purchases to the car.

Relationships are especially important when pet parents are making nutrition decisions. Rather than competing primarily on price, Cobber’s competes on expertise. Employees are trained to understand the products they recommend and to help customers navigate an increasingly complex marketplace that includes raw, freeze-dried and gently cooked diets.

“We never upsell,” Waugh says. “Instead, we listen — to a customer’s goals, their pet’s needs and their budget — and find the solution that truly fits. Our reputation for quality and integrity has been earned one honest conversation at a time.”

That strategy has paid off. Freeze-dried food sales increased 56% in 2025 and are up another 85% in 2026. Gently cooked foods have grown nearly 65% this year.

Designed to Give Back

Some of Cobber’s most memorable experiences are also its most meaningful. The store’s complimentary photo center has evolved from simple seasonal backdrops into what Waugh calls “a full creative production.” Past sets have included a San Francisco-style trolley and a vibrant fresh-flower market. This winter, Cobber’s will debut a restored 19th-century one-horse open sleigh. “Fun is part of the experience — for us, our customers and their pets,” she says.

The photo experiences inspired another customer favorite. “We first started serving pup cups, whipped cream in cones, at our Christmas events, and they were an instant hit,” she says. Today, dogs can enjoy pup cups of flavored whipped cream and Pawgaritas, bone broth served in margarita glasses, while posing for pics.

“These small celebrations have become a meaningful part of the Cobber’s experience,” she says. Families capture birthday, gotcha-day and even end-of-life photos. “It is a true honor when families bring pets in for end-of-life photos,” Waugh says. “Being able to help preserve those memories means a great deal to us.”

The experiences generate more than social media-worthy images. They create goodwill, deepen customer loyalty and reinforce the store’s reputation as a place that genuinely loves pets and the people who love them.

Cobber’s also operates a customer bag-exchange program that keeps thousands of gently used paper and plastic shopping bags out of the landfill. What started as a simple request on social media has kept the store stocked ever since. “Customers appreciate their bags getting reused, and appreciate Cobber’s commitment to greener practices,” Waugh says.

Looking ahead, Waugh plans to formalize a SEP IRA profit-sharing plan for her team; focus even more on ethically sourced, minimally processed foods; and expand Cobber’s role as a gathering place with more events, as well as classes and grief-support groups. She also wants to further evolve the photo booth, raffling off props in exchange for pet food donations to the local food bank.

“I want to keep creating win-win-win moments,” she says, “where our pets, our customers and our community all benefit.”

Five Cool Things About Cobber’s Pet Pantry

1. MISSING PETS. Someone brought in a stray dog shortly after the store opened, and Waugh realized Cobber’s could play a role in reuniting pets with their families. “I purchased a microchip scanner, and it’s one of the best investments I’ve ever made,” she says. “We’ve facilitated dozens of reunions, each one ending with a grateful pet parent and a relieved animal.”

2. FOOD IS MEDICINE. Cobber’s was born from Waugh’s determination to help two rescue dogs with significant health challenges. After seeing firsthand how raw and minimally processed foods transformed them, she built her business around one guiding principle: Stock only products she would feed her own pets. Named after her beloved German Shepherd mix, Cobber, the store continues to emphasize carefully selected nutrition over chasing trends.

3. BEYOND SHOPPING. Cobber’s recently redesigned its website to better serve both customers and the community. Along with Astro Loyalty specials, a live chat option and event information, the site features a collage of customer-submitted pet photos, a Local Resources page with emergency veterinary and pet-care contacts, and details about the Cobber’s Cares adoption program and free microchip scanning.

4. YOUNG TALENT. A favorite community effort is the local newspaper’s Kids Ads program, where grade-schoolers create ads for participating businesses. “We’re told Cobber’s is the most popular choice,” Waugh says. “We’re borrowing the idea to have little artists help create ads for us during the holidays for prizes.”

5. HOUNDS AROUND TOWN. Cobber’s recently participated in Enumclaw’s first Hounds Around Town event. When unexpectedly high temps raised concerns about dogs walking on hot pavement, Waugh saw an opportunity to educate and advocate. She purchased a surface thermometer to take and share real-time readings of surfaces to help pet parents make informed decisions on hot days. The local farmers’ market now shares the readings to help raise awareness.

PHOTO GALLERY (17 IMAGES)

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