Pet supply shop shuts down after 27 years

Aug 20, 2023

Taking I-526 into Mount Pleasant, as the highway ends and places you onto Chuck Dawley Boulevard, a sign to your left bears the image of a dog, nose up and tail alert. The sign for Indigo Creek Pet Supplies has welcomed customers into the town and into its store for over two decades. But after 27 years, the local pet supply store has shut its doors.

Indigo Creek Pet Supplies officially ceased operations on Aug. 26. Owner Gregory Clark announced the closure in a Facebook post on Aug. 13.

“After 27 Years of Service, we are closing Indigo Creek Pet Supplies. This decision comes after careful consideration. We extend our deepest gratitude to our loyal customers and dedicated staff who have been integral to our success over the years,” Clark wrote.

Just a few days before closing, the pet supplier located on Stuart Engals Boulevard was mostly cleared out, save for a wall of leashes and collars, pet treats and food, and leftover products that had been discounted in a final sale. A handwritten sign taped to the door signaled that things were winding down for the store.

Clark, who resides in Mount Pleasant, said that supply and staffing issues were becoming too much to handle. He said he loved the customer-facing side of the business, but behind the scenes, Clark felt the “fun” had been taken out of the business.

“It's just gotten to the point where the other side of the business dealing with my distributors and manufacturers and trying to find employees is becoming too difficult and something that I don't want to deal with, it's becoming too stressful for me and I have been doing it for too long for it not to be fun,” Clark said.

Though Indigo Creek Pet Supplies survived the COVID-19 pandemic when many small businesses did not, the impact the virus had on the supply chain persists. This created issues with obtaining products on time and in good condition, Clark said.

“(COVID-19) is the reason the distributors and the manufacturers, they have their issues with getting ingredients and still with their level of employment, being able to produce everything and distributors not being able to get us everything on time and in good condition to sell,” Clark said.

Though the decision was not easy, Clark wants to thank the Mount Pleasant community for its years of patronage of Indigo Creek.

“Thank you. It’s been fun. I enjoyed it — I still enjoy it. So say hi if you see me around town,” Clark said.