March 15, 2024

By AJ Heckenlaible, for SiouxFalls.Business

At 19 years old, Maddie Leasure is a full-time student at SDSU and also the owner of Mav’s Market pet supply business.

Her passion and love for pets started in December 2020 when she adopted a mini Australian shepherd puppy. That love led her to January 2024, when she opened her online pet supply store, Leasure said.

“I was 16 when I got him, and I got him without my parents’ permission,” Leasure said. “It was COVID. So I was honestly just looking for a companion to get through high school with.”

After adopting Maverick, she got a job at a local pet store where she began building connections and learning about the pet supply industry.

“I left that position in November of 2023, and I was just kind of wanting to start something new and wanting to grow my career. I wanted to really use the skills that I had learned in school with my career to further develop myself,” Leasure said.

The idea of Mav’s Market came to Leasure during a conversation with her dad during the holidays.

“He was saying, why don’t you just start a pet store? You know, like for fun. … It was kind of a joke at the time. But that’s what really sparked the idea of Mav’s Market,” Leasure said

With help from her dad, Tim Leasure, and by using her Christmas money to buy products and fund startup expenses, Leasure launched her website Jan. 5 —  just 10 days after she had the idea for Mav’s Market.

“Honestly, I am very, very thankful for my family during that process. I obviously had never started a business before, so it was YouTube and my dad Googling things and looking things up on TikTok, like how to fill out certain forms so we could get all of our licensing,” Leasure said.

The inventory includes treats, toys, accessories and supplements.

The business niche is quality, she added.

“I don’t carry anything I wouldn’t feed my own dogs,” she said. “I am lucky enough to have learned so much information about dog nutrition through my past experiences that help me find the best-quality products. I research every product that we carry to ensure that the quality and standards meet the level that we would like to achieve.”

Along with her website, Leasure has brought Mav’s Market to vendor fairs to sell in person.

“We were able to attend the Black Market, which is formerly Benson Flea Market,” Leasure said. “I feel like that’s really where we kind of took off, like in a public setting.”

While Leasure finishes her final year of college, Mav’s Market will remain online, but she plans to do pop-up shops, vendor fairs and flea markets in the meantime.

“I’m proud of where it’s gone just in the two months. I could have never imagined the support that we’ve gotten and the growth that we’ve had.”

After graduation, Leasure said she hopes to open a brick-and-mortar store in Hartford.

“It’s definitely in our future, but we love a spot in Hartford where most of our support is. We’re just going to wait until something opens up, and when the time is right, we’ll hopefully take that opportunity,” Leasure said.

Check out Mav’s Market online, or find it in person at the second annual Easter Eggstravaganza at Paws Pet Resort from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 16.