Pet Wants Nashville: Shawna Cohen

Type ‘healthy food for dogs’ or some derivative of the subject into any search engine, and you’ll have several million links for your browsing pleasure.

When Shawna Cohen looked for alternate options for Enzo after a bout of undiagnosed health issues, she stumbled onto the ideals of cooking actual, whole food. Finding some success led her to educate other pet parents on the benefits of homemade food. She quickly outgrew her home kitchen and needed something on a bigger scale.

Opening a store would mean sharing her passion and mission for healthy living on an even larger scale. Enter Pet Wants. Ready for a big adventure, Shawna packed up her life in New Mexico and headed to Nashville.

I recently interviewed Shawna, intrigued with Nashville’s new and hip residents:

I read on the About page of your website you learned of Pet Wants and decided to leave New Mexico to come to Nashville. Why Nashville?

The one and only reason I chose Nashville was because it was the only city I knew someone in and by that, it really was just one person!

I had lived in Phoenix, Arizona and South Dakota and did know people there, but knew I didn't want to live in either of those places again - so Nashville it was!  After doing research and seeing what a dog- friendly city along with so many events and festivals for dogs made the choice even easier!  Also, learning what was happening in East Nashville with all the renovations and being the new and up-and-coming area of Nashville and such a welcoming pet community, I knew this would be a great location for the store.

I love that you have a delivery service for your products. You are quite possibly the only shop in this area doing this.

When I was in the midst of trying to figure out how to start a pet food business, delivery was something I wanted to incorporate. I knew it would be a great convenience and incentive for people. The delivery service is part of the Pet Wants Model. We had a choice of doing just a mobile delivery service or retail store with delivery.

Being that I'm the only Pet Wants in Nashville, I can deliver anywhere I want. My limit is about 40-45 minutes – about a 50 mile radius.  As it is now, I go to Franklin, Brentwood, Hendersonville, Gallatin, Hermitage, Madison, Inglewood, Smyrna, Bellevue, Green Hills, West Nashville, East Nashville, and any areas that are close to those cities. I will expand the area even more as business progresses.

A lot of pet parents (myself included) may think that good, whole food for our pets is priced high. But your prices are in-line with the major national brands. How are you able to keep your prices so low?

Our prices are just below the most premium brands and obviously higher than the lowest so we try to stay comparable without devaluing our premium ingredients and most of all, the freshness of the food.

What helps us stay competitive is that Pet Wants is its own brand of food that is manufactured specifically for and sent directly to us right from the plant rather than going through other distribution companies. 

It is a small, family-owned manufacturing plant that doesn't manufacture pet food for too many other companies. 

Being that it is made only once a month with limited ingredients cooked in smaller batches allows the ingredients to be fresher and most of the ingredients, with the exception of our proteins, are locally sourced as much as possible to cut down on costs.

Being a part of Pet Wants is also about the passion of our pets and being able to provide a superior product at an affordable price.

Shawna is warm and inviting. Her passion for healthy living for all members of the family shines through. She resides in Nashville with her first love, Enzo, and Shelby, both Husky mixes rescued in New Mexico.

Pet Foods Nashville is conveniently located at 962 Woodland St. and is open seven days a week. Food for cats and dogs, as well as a variety of supplements, bones and treats are available.

Find her online and Facebook.

Written 4-13-2017 by Heather Clift for Live Laugh Love Nashville - Feature Friday