The nest was empty. The next challenge was on the horizon. And it was up to Heather and Eric Rhea to determine what their next quest might be.
Heather had worked in health care and the technology sector for decades. Those fields paid the bills but never provided the enjoyment she sought.
“I really, really love dogs, and the best kind of job I could do would be to work with dogs and people,” she said. “That could be a lot of fun.”
They were throwing around ideas, trying to figure out a business that would incorporate people and dogs. While in Arizona, they ran into a couple of guys who had put together a first-aid kit for dogs.
“They were interested in selling the whole thing because they did it for a few months and it wasn’t quite what they wanted to do,” Heather Rhea said.
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And in buying the first-aid business, the Rheas also purchased the rights to their new business’s name: the Hiking Dog Co.
They opened the first store in the Des Moines, Iowa, area last year and now have a second store at Gateway Mall that opened earlier this month. The original plan was to have as many as five stores between Lincoln, Omaha and Des Moines.
“We’ll have to see if that still works for us,” she said.
The store offers the things a pup might need — from hiking vests to running leashes — for an outdoor adventure with its owner.
“Think of sporting goods for dogs,” she said. “That’s the easiest way to describe it. There are a lot of outdoor sports you can do with your dog — things like camping, hiking, biking or kayaking.”
The store, which sits outside Gateway’s food court, features an exterior that looks like a cabin you’d find in the forest.
The artwork was done by local artist Ann Williams.
Hiking Dog Co. is loaded with racks of harnesses, dog gadgets — from balls to chew toys — and vests. There are also a number of stuffed animals throughout the store that allow shoppers to determine what size vest to get their own dogs.
However, Heather Rhea said, owners are welcome to bring their dogs into the store.
She and her husband live in Iowa but are spending plenty of time in Lincoln getting the new store up and running.
“We’re trying to help the team get up and running,” she said. “We have a great team of people here. … I’ll probably step in once a week every couple of weeks to check on things.”
And when she’s gone, employee Mike Oliverus will keep things humming.
Oliverus, a retired scientist, has found the perfect way to spend his retirement.
“I love it here,” Oliverus said. “This is the perfect retirement job if you like dogs. This is a great place to be.”
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Reach the writer at 402-473-7391 or psangimino@journalstar.com
On Twitter @psangimino
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