Community Highlights: Meet Ross Ettlin of Rocky Mountain Pet Shop

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ross Ettlin.

Hi Ross, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore. We didn’t have much. My dad was a gym teacher in the city and my mom was a secretary when she wasn’t popping out kids. If you had told me back then where I would be today I would have never believed it. Owning the little pet shop in aspen Colorado would have sounded like a dream. It is a dream! I got out of college and didn’t have much going on and my best friend talked me into moving to Colorado with him. Lived in Denver for a year and found out another friend from Baltimore had moved to Aspen. Well, I came to visit and never looked back. Spent several years as a server/ski bum and had a great time.

First time I entered the housing lottery I won the unit I still live in 25 years later. Owning housing in aspen really gave me the opportunity to settle down. Started a tropical fish maintenance business with my friend and one day a client told me the pet shop was for sale and I should look into it. Well, one thing led to another and I bought the local pet shop. Met my amazing wife (now the premier local dog trainer) and we and our 3 dogs are very happy living the dream in Aspen.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have to say I’ve been pretty lucky. There are always times when decent employees are hard to find. This was especially true during covid and I worked my butt off. And there are always supply shortages and price increases but I work hard to try and make sure I run a pet shop that stocks the stuff people are looking for and at a surprisingly good price considering the location. Businesses come and go in aspen.

It’s not an easy place to run a business and I didn’t know about anything when I bought the shop. So there was certainly a learning curve at the beginning. Living in aspen has shown me that essentially it takes 3 things to settle down and be happy. Career, housing, and love. These can be hard to figure out anywhere, but especially in a town like an aspen. I’ve been very fortunate in all 3 areas and I appreciate that every day.

As you know, we’re big fans of Rocky Mountain pet shops. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Rocky Mountain Pet Shop was founded in aspen in 1970. I am the 4th owner of the business. There are very few businesses in aspen that have been around as long as the pet shop. I am proud to be a part of the shop’s legacy. My goal Is to be a regular pet shop in an expensive town.

A place where you can find fair, honest advice and high-quality products without any sales pressure. The shop has never had a major renovation. It is not a fancy aspen shop. It is a pet shop where you can pick up the supplies needed to keep your beloved pets healthy and happy. Fair prices and friendly, knowledgeable service are the core of the business. That is what I hope we are known for.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is to not sweat the small stuff. Always keep the big picture in focus. Take care of the customer even if it costs you time or money.

Contact Info:

• Email: Rockymountainpetshop@gmail.com
• Instagram: @rockymtnpetshop
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Rockymountainpetshop