Find out fun facts and interesting information and the latest news about dogs and dog gear.

 

I recently met with Enid's own Carlotta Lennox to talk about her new business and heard the story of how it came about.

It was on one sunny afternoon in July that Carlotta rolled by a park on a pair of rollerblades and noticed that the dogs looked tired and hungry while their owners were drinking bottled water and eating snacks. It was then that she realized how she could give the day back to the dogs. Seven years later, the first Hey Buddy pet vending machine was established in Bark Park Central, an off-leash dog park in Dallas.

Lennox, an Enid High graduate, stocked the machine with dog treats, tennis balls, dog shirts, dog glasses--basically everything a dog might need for a walk in the park. And with its shingled roof and slated facade, the doghouse-inspired vending machine was hard to miss--which meant pets and their owners weren't the only ones begging Lennox for more. It's a really great branding mechanism for corporations looking for an extra niche for items they want to sell outside their stores and many large companies have already contacted Carlotta about climbing on board.

Carlotta is also in a great position due to Hey Buddy's unique patent, which gives her company exclusive rights to distribute pet products in vending machines across the U.S., which will allow Carlotta to take full advantage of the niche market she's created.

Hey Buddy is already in negotiations with major corporations interested in branding the machines for dog parks throughout the U.S., and sales are expected to reach $100,000 this year. I'll keep you updated on Carlotta's success.