New EarthWise location opens in Wenatchee, Washington, despite some major challenges

The April 3 opening of the Wenatchee, Washington, EarthWise Pet store was later than Thomas Manning and Kinda Summers had anticipated, but given what they went through to get there, it’s amazing it happened at all. 

First a fire swept through the shopping center where the new shop is located in Mission Street Village just two days before their planned mid-December opening, causing water and smoke damage. Then, coronavirus started spreading quickly in the U.S., beginning in the Northwest. It was a double whammy many businesses might not have survived, but EarthWise Pet franchisees Manning and Summers persevered.

Today, they’re enjoying a robust ramp-up for their second EarthWise franchise, with their original location in Yakima, about two hours away. They actually worked for a year to open both stores around roughly the same time, even though the Yakima location ended up opening in February ahead of the Wenatchee store due to the fire.

“We have worked so hard to get here and we are so thankful that EarthWise Pet is OPEN!” Manning and Summers wrote on their Facebook page. “We can’t believe all of our hard work is finally paying off and we’re able to share our love & passion for animals with our amazing community.”

EarthWise Pet: An essential business

Part of the reason the Washington state franchises were able to open amid the pandemic is that pet food and supply stores were deemed an essential business under state law. Initially open for delivery and curbside pickup only, the grooming salon part of their business has now opened with the blessing of the state health department, along with limited use of the self-wash station.

Pet-related businesses in general have been growing strong, and even during the pandemic it seems to be holding steady. With so many people sheltering-in-place, many people decided to adopt pets during these challenging times.

EarthWise has redoubled its efforts to safely provide the best in natural pet food and supplies, ramping up our already popular delivery service so customers can continue to access the best products for their furry family members as safely as possible.

Many EarthWise Pet franchisees, like Manning and Summers, have now been able to reopen the grooming portion of their business or will be able to do so soon. And as always, our franchise owners and their staffs are very knowledgeable about all of our all-natural food and product lines. Our expertise is what sets us apart from online and big-box pet retailers. Customers know they can contact us anytime with questions or to get recommendations, and they can still take advantage of the convenience of home delivery.

Find out what EarthWise franchise has to offer

To learn more about the franchise opportunities with EarthWise Pet Supply, please explore our franchise website. Fill out the form below to get a Free Franchise Information Report and to start a conversation with one of our recruiters.