Moving Forward: New pop-up shop ‘Petphoria’ opens at Hilldale

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The newest addition to Hilldale Shopping Center is for the cuddliest of customers.

Petphoria is a boutique pet shop serving up gourmet treats, pup apparel, and clothes for dog owners.

Owner Grace Wang started initially started the company online.

“We started with our dog treat line and it blew up,” said Wang. “We’ve expanded to different categories since then.”

Wang says she wasn’t sure she was ready to take the leap into running a physical store until Hilldale Shopping Center approached her about a pop-up.

“We take every opportunity and make sure it’s the right one,” said Wang. “Then, we just go for it. We dive into it.”

Petphoria opened up to customers on June 30 and will remain at this location until at least mid-September.

Wang says she’s excited to research the local dog demographic.

“Trying to learn what types of dogs are most popular. Who’s shopping and what kind of dogs do they have at home? Or what kinds of dogs are they gifting for?” she said.

Petphoria comes to Hilldale at a time when the shopping center is seeing a record number of customers.

“We’ve seen a tremendous amount of traffic. We’re seeing traffic that’s beating 2019,” said Nanci Horn, the General Manager at Hilldale Shopping Center. “A lot of the stores are doing some of the best business that they’ve ever done.”

Horn says nearly half of the businesses at Hilldale are locally or regionally owned.

As an Asian American and female entrepreneur, Wang says she’s proud of what she represents.

“I want to make sure that people understand this place is really and truly owned by one woman and a woman of color too,” she said.

To follow Petphoria on Instagram, click HERE.

To view the calendar of free events at Hilldale, click HERE.

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