Husband and Wife Started The Pet Loft in Bath

Before opening the store in 2003, The Pet Loft co-founder Jackie Hastings and a friend were traveling up to 60 miles west to find what she considered good food for her dogs.

That’s when she and her truck-driver husband Jim Hastings decided enough was enough. They began selling dog and cat food from a small second-story walk-up space a few miles south of their current location near the intersection of Ira and Cleveland Massillon roads in Bath.

Now, The Pet Loft is a destination for other dog and cat lovers who want the best food for their pets. Jim Hastings said the store has served customers from as far away as Youngstown and Erie PA. In winter, The Pet Loft ships food to local residents who are wintering in Florida.

“We try to keep our stuff on the higher end – things your local stores can’t carry," Jim Hastings said. You’re only going to get these brands at a mom and pop store. I can’t count how many we stock,” he added. Hastings said he and his wife choose their products carefully. “I don’t want to see any of my items in these pet recalls. That happens to a lot of the (pet food) companies that have no guidelines. The companies we deal with all have guidelines,” he added.

In the beginning, Jim Hastings said The Pet Loft was staffed by “hired help” who didn’t take the interest in the business and the customers than the Hastings wanted. Then Hastings traded his truck driving job for a retail one. “I wanted more customer contact. I could see the customers wanted more attention and knowledge, and a hired helper doesn’t do that. If you want your own business you’ve got to take care of it,” he said.

The current location is the store’s third and, Jim Hasting said, it’s last. Although the business still is growing, Hastings said he’s too old to move again. “We’re still growing and trying to keep up with everything new,” he said. The Hastings try to hold prices as low as they can, mindful that many people are being forced to cut back. “We’re always looking for new ways to help the customer,” he said.

The Hastings are proud owners of four dogs, three German Shepherds and one Belgian Malinois, a breed rumored to have accompanied Navy SEALS in last week’s attack on Osama bin Laden. The shepherds are trained to locate cadavers and narcotics and have participated in local search and rescue operations, Hastings said.

The Pet Loft is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. The store is located at 1947 N. Cleve-Mass Road in Bath and may be reached by calling 330-668-1919.