The Wags Mission

Founded by Dena Gilmore in 2002, Wags to Wiskers is a community-based pet supplies store with a focus on natural, holistic pet foods, primarily for but not limited to dogs and cats.  "I don't want to be like a big-box store," she says.  "I've always wanted to be like a corner store where customers become my friends and they can get help solving their pet care problems."

Dena, with a Masters degree in business and 8 years of successful work at Ford Motor Company under her belt, woke up one morning with a need for work that offered more meaning.  She remembers musing “what do you love, what do I love?”  She knew the answer was pets.  “I don’t want to wake up in thirty years and wonder what I did to give back. I know I can make a difference; I can do it with pets."

The Wags philosophy has thrived and Dena now has four locations in Michigan.  We love having pets in our store (it's a great way to help them socialize), have a Loyalty Rewards Program to get free food, treats, and discounts, and we regularly donate thousands of dollars/hundreds of pounds worth of dog and cat food to numerous local rescues in southeast Michigan.  Dena lives in Tecumseh, MI with 5 dogs.