Up Country is 40! Celebrating 28 years with Fideaux
Here at Up Country, we are proudly celebrating 40 years in business! This would not be possible without the support and collaboration of some outstanding retailers. To mark this milestone, we’re shining a spotlight on those retailers who’ve stuck with us for years, helping us bring style and comfort to countless furry friends. One of these is the wonderful Fideaux! Learn more about them in our interview below.
Why and/or how did you start your company and what year? Fideaux was opened in 1996 in St. Helena (28 years!). We have since expanded to Healdsburg (open for 21 years) and now Mill Valley (3 years). We have carried Up Country since the beginning and are always bringing in new designs!
Tell us a little about your store and the area you are located. Our two older shops are located in the California wine country. St. Helena is in the Napa Valley and Healdsburg is in Sonoma County. These two locations are in tourist towns so we are busy year round. Our new shop in Mill Valley is a smaller version of the other two, located in the Mill Valley Lumberyard, which is an adorable little spot for eating and shopping. It was a working Lumberyard for years and has recently been changed into a hotspot in town for food and shopping. All three shops are decorated seasonally, with changing displays and merchandise all the time. We have very few items that we keep year round, but Up Country collars, leashes and harnesses are a staple all the time! We bring in seasonal ones to add onto the designs we carry year round.
How did you find out about the Up Country brand and when did you start selling our products? The original owner, Jennifer, found you guys. I am not sure if she found you at a show, or through our favorite rep of all time, Cay Olgsby.
What is a customer favorite, or your favorite design and why? Customer Favorite? ALL of them?! We carry SO many of your designs (40 of them at the moment), and we sell all of them all year long. Right now we have your summer designs on display. The patriotic collars, watermelons, and the new camping collar are all flying out the door. My golden is wear the Orange You Pretty collar right now and it looks amazing on her.
Anything else you would like to say about Up Country? We have found a lot of different companies to work with over the years, but Up Country is one of the only ones that we have had the entire time and is STILL a best seller. Your items are timeless, classic, and adorable. There is something for every dog lover, and its obvious you guys are killing it, 40 years! Congratulations!