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First Upscale Pet Boutique to Open in Mall Setting

May 5, 2005 -- Pet mania is no longer a trend, it's a lifestyle. According to a recent study by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), pets have been adopted into 62 percent of American households, which equals 64.2 million homes, a figure that is up by 10 million from a decade ago. Pet spending has doubled from $17 billion in 1994 to a projected $34.3 billion for 2004, a figure which positions the pet industry 42% larger than the toy industry ($20 billion) and 30% larger than the candy industry ($24 billion). Industry experts attribute this growth to the fact that today more than ever, American's view their pets as part of the family, (an APPMA 2003/2004 study found that one third of small animal owners consider their pets as children or family members).



It didn't take a group of experts to introduce this phenomenon to Eleonora Bonfini and Kimberly Walker, owners of TeaCups Puppies & Boutique, an upscale boutique established in 1999 in Hollywood, Florida that specializes exclusively in t-cup (under 4 lbs at adult weight) and toy (under 7 lbs) breed dogs. Both Bonfini & Walker have witnessed the demand for their wares grow from a single storefront in South Florida (which caters to the likes of celebs including Mandy Moore and Whitney Houston) to a booming online business (www.teacupspuppies.com) and mu*shu fine canine accessories (www.mushucanineboutique.com), their own collection of upscale doggy accoutrements (collars, leads, carry bags, beds, etc) that is sold at over 100 pet and upscale boutiques across the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan.



And, December 1, 2004 marks the date another goal becomes a reality for these savvy entrepreneurs, as they open TeaCups Boutique in Aventura Mall, the very first upscale pet retailer to open up shop in a mall environment.



"The pet industry is growing at an unprecedented rate," states Kimberly Walker, from the mu*shu warehouse in Hollywood, Florida, where she spends much of her time designing the mu*shu collection, ordering product for both TeaCups locations and scouting the market for new trends. "We believe that over the next 5 years there will be a pet boutique in every mall across America and we are proud to lead the industry in this trend. We have worked hard to build our reputation as a responsible retailer with a commitment to the health and well being of each one of our dogs. TeaCups didn't jump on the band wagon because Paris Hilton carries a Chihuahua, we are in the business because we are committed to what we do."



In an industry where new stores open and close at a rapid rate, TeaCups attributes much of their success and longevity to their unique selling philosophy, that requires each potential client to be carefully screened by either Bonfini or Walker before they are permitted to take home one of their precious (and fragile) pups. Applicants with children under age 15, with a pool that is not screened in and those who leave the home for more than 2 hours at a time will not qualify. However, at their new Aventura Mall location, TeaCups will only offer accessories (canine clothing, beds, collars, food, treats, etc) but will expand the category to outfit dogs of all sizes. To closely monitor their pets and ensure they will go to responsible homes, clients interested in purchasing a pup will be directed to the Hollywood location, about 15 minutes north of the mall.



In 2003, Pet Product News named TeaCups Retailer of the Year for their responsible approach to the pet industry. In November 2004, TeaCups was profiled on ABC's Life of Luxury where they hosted a $30K doggy birthday party.TeaCups co-owner Eleonora Bonfini can be seen as a pet health expert and contributor on local FOX & NBC affiliates as well as in pet trade and consumer publications nationwide.

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