December was a busy month for Bone & Biscuit Okotoks, and not just because of the holidays. New owners Amber & Fung Leung had a lot on the go after taking over the Okotoks pet supply store on December 5th, but they couldn’t be more excited about the new venture.
Already making connections with their community and with lots planned for their store, there are lots to be excited about as a customer of the Bone & Biscuit Okotoks location, too. If you’re curious about the new store owners and what they have planned for their location, keep reading!
Exciting New Opportunities At Bone & Biscuit Okotoks
Bone & Biscuit Okotoks originally opened in 2018, but it’s been reinvigorated with the introduction of its new store owners, Amber & Fung. When the location became available for animal lovers Amber & Fung after moving to nearby Calgary, they saw an exciting opportunity to own a pet supply store they couldn’t pass up.
“We like animals,” says Fung. “And the location. We liked the small town feel.”
“Yes, and we wanted to do a venture together,” adds Amber. “Owning a franchise as a family was a contributing factor. And we are pet parents ourselves, so we’re very passionate about the products that we choose for our pets. The whole Bone & Biscuit ideology aligns with what we were already giving to our pets, so it aligned well with us and what we wanted to do.”
They’re also looking forward to expanding their offerings and stocking their shelves with exciting new products for their customers, and ensuring a reliable stock of products, too.
“We’ve increased the inventory at Bone & Biscuit Okotoks so that there’s more stock and it makes for a nicer shopping experience,” says Amber. “We’re excited to expand on the Canadian products and continue to support Canadian brands and products as best as we can. And we’re also hoping to have unique, forward-thinking and innovative products, like these upcycled treats we have from Shameless Pets. We want our customers to be able to see something new, something fun and innovative when they come into the store.”
“We want to share different products and introduce new products,” adds Fung. “We also want to expand the cat offerings, since we’re cat owners and it’s a big passion of ours to have an awesome range of cat products.”
Falling In Love With The Community Around Bone & Biscuit Okotoks
When Amber & Fung moved to Calgary in July of last year, they were looking for an opportunity to set down their roots with a business they could be proud of. After the Bone & Biscuit Okotoks store became available, they saw a chance to be a part of the community and fell in love with the small-town feel of Okotoks.
“We’re new to Calgary and Alberta, we moved here in July of last year. We liked the area and we’re very excited about being here. That’s why we embarked on it, it allowed us to do something new, it allowed us to move somewhere new, open a new business, and uniquely establish our roots in the area,” says Amber.
The Bone & Biscuit Okotoks location offered lots to be excited about for new owners Amber & Fung.
“We love the people here, and the community. They’re very understanding, friendly, and welcoming. We joke that we’re in “Pleasantville” or like we’re on a TV show,” says Fung.
“The community is so amazing,” adds Amber. “But there are very nice walking trails nearby, too. When we first took over the store, so many customers said “Oh, there are some walking trails that will take you all around the whole town.” There are some great dog parks nearby, too. So I think the location is great. What drew us in was the whole community feel and the access that the community has to these walking trails and parks and things like that.”
In the area and curious about what dog parks and trails are nearby? Here’s a quick list of some of the dog parks and trails near Bone & Biscuit Okotoks:
- Okotoks Off Leash Dog Park, Okotoks Alberta
- Kadey Park, Okotoks Alberta (no off-leash area, on-leash only)
- Cimarron Storm Pond Trail, Okotoks Alberta
- Sheep River Valley Loop Trail, Okotoks Alberta
Download the full Okotoks Trail Network & Map PDF here.
Here is Bone & Biscuit Okotoks’ address to help you find the location:
Get To Know New Bone & Biscuit Okotoks Owners, Amber & Fung
Along with being business partners for their Bone & Biscuit Okotoks store, Amber & Fung have been partners since December 2014. They connected over their shared interest in fitness and health after meeting in a CrossFit gym.
“We met at the end of December 2014 at the CrossFit gym,” says Fung. “We still do CrossFit together, and a big part of what attracted us to the Bone & Biscuit brand is that we’re very mindful of our health and wellness, and by extension, we see the value in health and wellness for animals as well, which is a big part of the Bone & Biscuit brand.”
They also connected over their love for animals, and are looking forward to connecting with other like-minded individuals in the Okotoks community.
The Family Behind Bone & Biscuit Okotoks
For Amber & Fung, running their Bone & Biscuit location in Okotoks is a family matter. Wanting to own a business that they could grow together, Amber & Fung are bringing their unique expertise in the pet industry together to make their business shine.
“Amber’s experience in the pet industry I think makes us stand out and help customers who come into the store,” says Fung.
“So I have about 20 years of experience in the pet industry,” adds Amber. “but we’re also excited to reestablish what Bone & Biscuit is to Okotoks and help that stand out in the community. We want to reestablish those high-quality, healthy products so that customers can come to us to see something new and know that they can get different, unique products from Bone & Biscuit Okotoks.”
But it won’t just be Amber & Fung running the Bone & Biscuit Okotoks location; Amber’s mother, Johanne, will be helping run the store, making it a truly family-run business.
“Fung, myself and my mom will be there in the store,” says Amber. “Customers will see her [Amber’s mom] every so often in the store helping out as well. They’ll mostly see Fung, but customers will get to know our whole family that’s out here. It’s a family-run business and we wanted it for that. That was a driving factor for us, finding something that would be able to help us grow as a family with a family business.”
Johanna, Amber & Fung won’t be the only ones you’ll get to see in Bone & Biscuit Okotoks! As proud cat owners with cats on the more adventurous side, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of their cats visiting the store from time to time as well.
The Owners of Bone & Biscuit Okotoks’ Passion For Animals
Both animal lovers and cat owners, Amber & Fung have four cats, and all of them are rescues. They love to care for animals and help them out when they can, which is why they are big advocates for rescue pets.
“We have four cats right now, one of them is 16, we have two 14-year-olds and a 12-year-old cat, so they’re all older. We recently lost our fifth cat who was 21 years old, and we’ve had dogs in the past, but right now with moving and taking over the business, we decided to stick with the cats for now. But we’ve always been very much into pets. We went to cat rescues, that’s where all of our cats are from, and we really believe in rescue pets.”
Their four lovable cats all have their own personalities and quirks that Amber & Fung love, but it’s their cat, Jack, who likes to explore with Amber & Fung.
“There’s Jack, who’s a 14-year-old tabby. He’s kind of like “our” cat. So he’ll go for walks and go into stores, and explore with us,” says Amber.
“He’s a very social cat,” adds Fung.
“Yes, he’s very social, loves people, loves to ride on your shoulder. That’s who will be in the store the most because he’s our very social cat and our other ones like to hang out at home.”
Their others cats are Owl, Theo and Phum. Owl is a black, short-haired cat and is about 14, Theo is their black hunter cat and is 12, and Phum is their oldest cat at 16 (who also happens to share a birthday with Fung) and is a black cat with long hair. Their selection of black cats isn’t random, either, but a conscious choice.
“The reason why we have three black cats is that black cats are the most dominant colour up for adoption, but they are the least adopted. So we tend to adopt a lot of black cats because in the shelters they are the least likely to be adopted.”
Now one thing you may also be wondering is why Phum’s name sounds so similar to Fung’s, and this time it’s something a little more “kismet”.
“So our long-haired black cat, Phum, I’ve had him since before I met Fung. He’s a really big cat, so I named him “Phum” because of “Fee-fi-fo-fum”, like the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk. But I didn’t know Fung at the time. So then many years later I meet Fung and it’s very weird that I have a cat named Phum and then I’m dating and then married to a Fung. And yes, we get them mixed up all the time,” Amber says with a laugh. “And when we moved from Ontario to Alberta, our vet gave us our records to bring over with us, and because they’re all rescue cats, normally vets will pick a birth date if you don’t know it already. So this whole time I had no idea until I get these vet records for my 16-year-old cat, and they had picked the same birthday as Fung and I didn’t even know Fung 16 years ago when they picked the date.”
Amber & Fung love many things about their cats and being pet owners, but ultimately for them, they love caring for their pets and their unique personalities.
“For me, I love caring for them. And it’s fun to take Jack out because you don’t often see people with a cat out, so we get a lot of attention when we take them out. But for me, it’s caring for them and snuggling with them and their companionship. That’s what I love the most about owning them,” says Amber.
“I like our Theo because he hunts everything,” says Fung with a laugh. “He’s very in tune with his instincts, which is so fascinating. But at the same time, he’s still so loving. And all of our cats have different personalities, and it’s the same with dogs too.”
Bone & Biscuit Okotoks’ Pet Philosophy & Advice For Pet Owners
As pet owners with a lot of experience and knowledge, Amber & Fung are looking forward to sharing their knowledge with their customers and community and helping fellow pet owners care for their pets.
“I think from what we learned is that you gotta do your research on the quality of products and food that you feed and give your animals,” says Fung. “And we want to be able to support our customers on that journey. If you can explain what you’re looking for, we can help guide you in the right direction.”
“And we leave it up to our customers to decide what they want and what’s best for them,” adds Amber. “We’ll help them and give them the options and educate them on what the products and benefits are based on our own experiences. Ultimately, we are there to give some guidance and some support, but whatever the customer chooses, I firmly believe that that is the right thing for that pet. We carefully choose the products we have in store, so all the products we carry are great no matter their cost. I want our customers to feel confident and happy with what they purchase and that it’s the right choice for their pet, no matter what their budget or needs are.”
Okotoks Hot Chocolate Festival And What’s Coming Next For Bone & Biscuit Okotoks
Amber & Fung are also eagerly planning and finding new ways to be involved with their local community, including the Okotoks Hot Chocolate Festival this February.
Running from February 8th until February 18th, local cafes and businesses in Okotoks are offering up unique and creative hot chocolates for locals to taste and vote for their favourites. While hot chocolate may not be on the menu at Bone & Biscuit Okotoks, they’re offering up special hot cocoa-shaped dog cookies for your pets to enjoy if you stop by the store during the festival.
And I think also just like growing the customer base and meeting more people because the current ones are just so awesome that we can’t wait to kind of share more of the store and meet more of the local community.
“We’re hoping to be more involved with the local community, and so one of the events we’re involved with is the Okotoks Hot Chocolate Festival & Contest,” says Amber. “All these local stores are participating in a hot chocolate contest where you can taste them and vote for your favourites, but we’ll be giving out dog cookies that are shaped like a little cup of cocoa. We’re excited to do things like that and get more involved in the community.”
It’s also a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your dog, so be sure to stop by Bone & Biscuit Okotoks during the festival!
Come Visit Bone & Biscuit Okotoks And Welcome Amber & Fung Into The Neighbourhood
Fully stocked with new and exciting products and eager to connect with the community, Amber & Fung can’t wait to welcome you and your pets into the reinvigorated Bone & Biscuit Okotoks. With lots planned for the store and more to come, Bone & Biscuit Okotoks is ready for all your pet needs.
Make sure to follow them on their social media (shared below) to stay up to date on all things Bone & Biscuit Okotoks, including upcoming events and promotions. If you live in Okotoks or the nearby area, be sure to stop by the store to check out their selection of pet products or just to say hi to the new owners!
Bone & Biscuit Okotoks Address:
Bone & Biscuit Okotoks Contact Information & Social Media:
Phone Number: 1-587-757-0347
Facebook: @BoneAndBiscuitOkotoks
Instagram: @boneandbiscuitokotoks
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