by Jennifer Sharpe | Photos by Linda Earley
Dog lovers enjoy a variety of opportunities at Golden Mutt
Jack, a community-focused retail and event oasis in north Oklahoma City’s Britton District.
The brand’s origins began years ago when Crystal Anderson, a full-time veterinary technician, started to make collars as a hobby. She sold her products at the clinic where she worked and transitioned to a full-time online home business that eventually grew to include wholesale. Overwhelmed with the success and rapid growth, Anderson stepped back, returning to full-time work as a vet tech until three years ago, when she and her wife and partner, Laurie Anderson, rebranded their company as Golden Mutt Jack, named for their three dogs at the time. “Crystal’s the creative person — she’s in charge of all that,” Laurie Anderson said. “I do most of the
marketing and retail. We know what our strengths are and what our weaknesses are, and we really balance each other out.”
Attending big market shows in Dallas and Atlanta aided in the growth of the business, with Golden Mutt Jack products placed in “14 states and 20-something cities, and expanding to national chains Neiman Marcus and possibly Urban Outfitters,” Crystal Anderson said.
But it also helped the Andersons realize that working solely out of the house was becoming a challenge. “We needed more space to develop product,” Laurie Anderson explained.
Spotting an Opportunity
Toward the end of 2021, the Andersons were driving down Western Avenue just south of Britton Road when they spotted a storefront vacancy sign. In January, the brick-and-mortar location for Golden Mutt Jack opened, a 4,000-square-foot building on the west side of Western Avenue which includes workshop, retail, and event space. A vibrant shopping space greets customers immediately through the front door. Golden Mutt Jack leashes and collars are on display, or patrons can design their own.
The shop also offers other Made in Oklahoma (MIO) products. “We try to support local businesses as much as we can,” Laurie Anderson said. Products include Sweet Stingers Honey and a special collaborative coffee “rescue blend” from Leap Coffee Roasters.
Kari Starkey, coowner of Leap Coffee Roasters, says she has known Laurie Anderson for many years. “I’ve always respected where she’s coming from, and I look up to her. I trust her to know about the dogs, and she trusts me to know
about the coffee.” Starkey said that with both Leap Coffee Roasters and Golden Mutt Jack being local small businesses, the opportunity to partner is “awesome.”
Golden Mutt Jack’s store also offers fresh eggs from the Andersons’ 10-year-old nonprofit animal sanctuary, Milo’s Barn, which rescues neglected and abused farm animals, which Laurie Anderson then writes children’s books about. The books are available for sale in the store, with some of the profits going to support the nonprofit sanctuary. “It’s a win-win,” she said.
Classes and Connections
In Golden Mutt Jack’s large meeting space, classes, adoption events, fund-raisers, training, and birthday parties are held. Pet-friendly classes to tie-dye shirts and pet bandannas and to “make your own collar” are open to the public or can be booked privately for groups.
“People really like the classes, more than I thought they would,” Crystal Anderson said. Laurie Anderson said they often receive text messages of gratitude from happy customers after a class.
In addition to the indoor gathering room, Golden Mutt Jack has a fenced backyard space for groups to use.
Golden Mutt Jack constantly seeks connections to dog lovers — dog owners and groups that support pets in the metro. Nonprofits and rescue groups do not pay any fees to use the space, said Laurie, because the Andersons like to support “anything to bring people together and help people out. We’re looking to create an environment locally that can help.”
Golden Mutt Jack has a special relationship with Palomar, Oklahoma City’s family justice center. Palomar is the first such center to offer an animal advocacy program in partnership with the Oklahoma Humane Society, said Palomar CEO Hillary Burkholder. Golden Mutt Jack supports Palomar through donations of leashes and collars, and the partnership is expected to grow with events.
“We are so excited about partnering with Golden Mutt Jack,” said Burkholder.
Meeting the Andersons “immediately felt like a partnership and a dialogue about how we can really engage on a deeper level and in multiple ways.”
For the Andersons, Golden Mutt Jack is looking to grow and dig “our heels into the community,” said Laurie.
Crystal Anderson would like to see the word get out about Golden Mutt Jack so more people come to visit. “There’s nothing else like this,” she said. “There are plans to expand to other product-making classes, like wallets, and have other instructors come in to teach classes, such as pet-friendly yoga.”
Laurie Anderson wants customers to make the connection. “We’re a hidden little secret, so we just want people to know that we’re here,” she said. “There are ways to spend money here, but if there’s something you would like to do, call us.”
To be in the know about all of Golden Mutt Jack’s events and products, be sure to follow them on social media.
