Libby Rummel is not a typical teenager.
Instead of shopping, hanging out with friends, heading off to college or checking out the latest YouTube or TikTok videos, the 18-year-old spends much of her time at Northern Paws, a pet supply store she opened on her own in December in Lakewood.
The store, located at 15345 State Highway 32, is located in a building that previously housed a venison processing business, art gallery and, most recently, a wood shop.
Northern Paws is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and because she’s the owner and sole employee, there’s a good chance Rummel will be at the store.
“It was so busy,” she said about Dec. 6, the day she opened the doors for the first time. “We opened at 10 a.m. and at 9:50, there were already at least 10 cars in the parking lot.’”
Rummel didn’t have to think too hard when asked about her favorite part of her job.
“I love everybody bringing their critters in here,” she said. “I absolutely adore meeting new people. In a business like this, we are all animal lovers. We all have that one thing in common that brings everybody together. There will be times when people will be in here talking for hours. It’s kind of like a community gathering spot when it comes to being animal supporters.”
The worst part?
“The distributors,” Rummel said. “I love them very much, but it’s hard when you don’t get stuff in. My suppliers have been way harder than I thought they would be. I have three different distributors that I go through, and each one provides me with different products.
“Right now, I’m trying to get a lot of reliability for my customers. You need food? OK, I want to have it that week for you on a regular basis. Due to supply issues that aren’t their fault, it just looks bad and people get upset.”
Rummel grew up in the Lakewood, Wabeno, Mountain and Suring areas.
“I was home-schooled, graduated and needed an adventure in life, something to do,” she said. “I knew I wanted to own my own business, I just didn’t know what. Do I want to be a vet tech? To be happy, I had to be around animals.”
Rummel drove by the building last year and noticed a “for rent” sign in the window.
“It was kind of impulsive,” she said. “I said, ‘Whoa, is this my sign?’ I knew there was a need for it in the community, because I was sick of driving an hour for dog food every time I needed it. I put a whole year’s (rent money) down on the building.”
Rummel has had help from her grandma, who can usually be found at the store, and started the business from scratch with money she had saved and without getting a loan.
She also has a job as a waitress at The Olive Pit Bar and Grill in Townsend; has dog- and cat-sitting jobs lined up; and recently started another job as a bartender at The Long Branch Saloon in Townsend.
“I’ve worked since I was 14, and I knew I always wanted to save up for a business,” she said. “I had to figure out quitting the jobs that I was at. I had to move. It was all big lifestyle changes, but all for the best in my opinion. I was raised with a very high expectation and work ethic and I’m very grateful for that, because I know that I wouldn’t have been able to be where I am.”
Rummel’s lifelong love of animals doesn’t hurt, either. She started volunteering at the Forest County Humane Society’s shelter in Crandon.
“I started volunteering there when I was 12,” she said. “I started by walking dogs, and that began my passion for animals. It kind of grew from there.”
Rummel spreads the word about Northern Paws through a Facebook page and TikTok account. Her plans for the near-future include a large sign along Highway 32 to draw more customers.
“I didn’t realize how expensive it would be,” she said. “I have to work up to that. I’m working with a guy out of Waukesha right now, and he’s making a design for me for a sign. If I had a big light-up thing that says Northern Paws, that’ll bring some attention.”
Her long-term plans include possibly expanding into a different, larger location and maybe hiring an extra employee.
“Eventually, I would like to have additional boarding kennels, but that would require a different location,” she said. “If this goes well, I could expand to something like that, but right now, it’s just the pet store. I would love to add more products. I’ve seen people with a need for boarding. That’s what my original idea was — I wanted a boarding kennel. They cost a lot to start up, and they have a lot more regulations with the drainage that you need. Eventually, I would love to expand to that, but it’s a long ways down the road.”
Rummel saw the need for a pet supply store in the area, as local residents have to go to Rhinelander, Antigo, Shawano or Green Bay, which are all at least an hour away.
“I knew how much I needed my food and I procrastinate a lot,” she said. “I’m down to four cups of food and I go, ‘Oh no, I need to drive an hour tonight.’ I imagine a lot of other people go through that. In the summer, there aren’t a lot of places up here for people who bring their dogs or cats. They forgot food and what do you do then?”
Rummel’s biggest competitor is Chewy, a popular online pet supplies business.
“I put a lot of marbles in the pot,” she said. “I really needed a purpose, and this gave me a purpose. I didn’t want to look 50 years down the road and wonder what would have happened if I didn’t do this. It’s going to be a journey.”
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Owner Libby Rummel stocks shelves at Northern Paws, her pet store on state Highway 32 in Lakewood. The 18-year-old, who grew up in the Lakewood, Suring and Wabeno areas, saw a need for the business, which opened in December. (Greg Seubert)
Northern Paws in Lakewood has several pet-related items for sale, including food, treats and toys. (Greg Seubert)
