Green Dog Pet supply
Tucked in the fresh air courtyard of Fremont Commons, a sustainably built mixed-use building at NE 46th and Fremont, is a retail outlet called "Green Dog Pet Supply." Open to the public since August 2004, Green Dog Pet Supply offers natural food and toys for Portland’s four-legged residents. Business owners Christine and Mike Mallar were initially attracted to the environmentally friendly building because it would reflect the integrity of the products they were planning to sell. The theory behind green pet supplies is very similar to green building materials. Both products earn a green label if they recycle materials otherwise headed to the landfill, originate from sustainable sources, feature non-toxic or natural ingredients and are created to have a long, useful life.
Across from this display, is another use for reclaimed doors – in the form of a well-built table. Inspired by one of the antiques near the entrance, this larger table uses two doors – a solid one for the top, and another multi-panel door cut in two to make sturdy legs.
The materials for the project not only originate from retail outlets, but from unusual places as well. Both the owners and the builder found free materials by keeping an eye out for components anywhere they saw an opportunity. Schmuck recalls driving by a pile of materials in front of a house in the Hollywood District. After checking with the owners that the items were indeed headed for the dump, Schmuck reduced their disposal fee by taking away two truck loads of doors, trim and lumber to use on the Mallars’ project.One of the grandest displays in the store is a large built-in cabinet on the eastern wall that is constructed of materials that Schmuck and the Mallars rescued from such piles. The cabinet features salvaged materials, starting at the top where the inset shelving space is lined in cedar planks.Though many shoppers come to Green Dog Pet Supply for the sustainable and healthy line of products, they may not notice that this principle also extends to the store’s displays. This may be due to the fine craftsmanship and the imaginative reuse applications. We didn’t want the store to be too much like a "junkyard, " remarks Christine. Even though there may be a dog guarding the display of treats, Green Dog Pet Supply is a lively and welcoming store, a testament to how the Mallars’ and Schmuck’s talent and creativity allow them to see opportunities, where others see piles of trash.
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