In the fall of 2003, Bryan was working as a successful business analyst. He had a great job, had recently purchased his own house, and adopted his new best friend, Tuckerman. Bryan struggled leaving his 9-pound black-lab puppy at home when he went to work and grew weary of his unfulfilled search for a place with compassion, knowledge, and resources for him and his new pooch. Hoping to fill that gap in the community, Bryan opened Appalachian Tails Pet Company in 2005. He recruited staff members who matched his passion for pet care. Together, they opened a pet-nutrition center stocked with high-quality pet food backed by a satisfaction guarantee, toys and snacks for cats and dogs, and an aquatic center that houses African cichlids, fancy guppies, and misguided swedish fish. The pet-friendly facility, which houses more than 10,000 products, also stocks food, toys, and accessories for ferrets, hamsters, birds, and reptiles.
