Premium Pets introduces dog treat food truck, new features

Premium Pets is starting the summer months with an expanded store and a new way to reach shoppers and their furry friends.

The business can now be seen around town and beyond with its new Waggin’ Wagon, a food truck offering treats, chews and accessories on the go.

The mobile pup stop offers wagon treats in five flavors. The team also puts together unique entrees for special occasions, like Cinco De Mayo when the truck offered tacos made from dog-safe products sold within the store.

Brittany Schulp, who started the business with her husband in 2017, said the unique idea came to her when she saw the owner of Love My Gellato was selling the trailer.

“It was just an idea that popped in my head when I saw that it was for sale,” she said. “I thought we could turn this into a mobile food truck for the dogs, and it can be a fun way for my husband and I to get out of the store and just go out and meet people that way. We’re able to bring our products to people and introduce ourselves to people who have never been to our store. We bring it to them.”

The recent addition began making the rounds at local events and parks late last year and even made it down to the Lake of the Ozarks for a few events, something Schlup said the business hoped to do more of this year.

“We’re going to try to start having some more events that we put on and host, where we’ll pull the wagon up to one of the parks or the dog park here in Jeff, and then we’ll host events there like dog breed meetups or ice cream socials,” she said. “We’ll get out to different locations so people can get their dogs out and socialize with other people and their dogs.”

There are other new additions back at the store on East McCarty Street, too. Schlup said the recent closure of Premium Pets’ other location off of Bighorn Drive due to the sale of the building prompted the team to add a second self-wash station to continue meeting that need. She said there are also new items for sale that show off the Premium Pets brand, like cups and bowls.

The store also offers its own natural treats, everything from duck heads to pig snouts that offer a natural, unique alternative to traditional dog treats.

“That kind of makes us different from some of the other bigger box stores,” Schulp said. “We try to be really selective about what we carry and offer treats with simple ingredients that are safe for pets to have and to eat.”

Premium Pets is located at 700 E. McCarty St. It is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays. Learn more on Facebook or at premiumpetsjc.com

Know of any business happenings around Jefferson City? Let us know at [email protected] or 573-761-0243.