Skilo, a family-owned pet store with two Milwaukee locations, is on a mission to do more than sell pet supplies — it's working to build community and give back to local animal rescues.
Owner Zach Dewitt said the business was born out of a desire for his family to take control of their future during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WATCH: A family-owned Milwaukee pet store is building community one paw at a time
"Born out of COVID, a lot was going on, and as a family we just decided we wanted to take control of our own future. I had had a dog at the time and just going through a lot of issues, so we figured that one, we knew an area, the local Milwaukee East side that could use a pet supply store, and I was very passionate about providing other pet parents with the tools they needed to be as successful as possible," Zach said.
Inside, shoppers will find a rotating toy selection and a wide variety of food options tailored to the unique dietary needs of both dogs and cats.
"We like to have a nice expansive collection. We like to rotate our toys so you can find something fresh and exciting on each of your visits. And then we have a plethora of food options. Every dog is unique with their dietary needs. Same with cats. We're very proud of our cat section as well," Zach said.
Community involvement has been central to Skilo's identity since the beginning. Zach said the support from loyal customers has been instrumental in keeping the business growing.
"When we embarked on this adventure, we really wanted to create something unique for our own family, but at the same time it was extremely important to us that we did everything we could to support our community. Both things go hand in hand, so we do a lot of events within the community. The community support has been second to none. When you have the same people coming day after day and then they're bringing their friends the following visit, it just means the world and just allows us to keep that momentum going," Zach said.
Most recently, Skilo partnered with a local brand in Milwaukee to host a microchip event that also benefited MADACC, a local animal rescue organization. Skilo donated 30% of food sales from that weekend to MADACC.
"We were very fortunate, a local brand, Fromm in Milwaukee reached out to us. They wanted to partner up. They asked what local rescue we wanted to work with. MADACC came to mind because of their proximity to the store, but also the scope of what they all do for the city. So being able to do the microchip event with them — they donated 30% of the food sales that weekend to them as well — and it was a really successful turnout," Zach said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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