Taylor and Sean Barclay's roster of pets consists of, in no particular order, a Weimaraner-pit-hound mix named Ziggy, a cockapoo named Piper, a "Heinz 57" mixed-breed named Teddy Bear and a 25-year-old eclectus parrot named Duke.
"Plus two fish," Sean Barclay added, "and a cleaning snail. We're animal people."
Little wonder, then, that when the couple decided to start a business, they settled on animals. They said they launched their online marketplace SocialAniMall.com in May 2022 with dual goals.
"Anything from gifts for the animal lover to pet supplies and gifts," said Taylor Barclay, adding that the site does not allow the sale of animals.
"We have nine categories," she said. "Dogs, cats, birds, small animals, reptiles/amphibians, fish supplies, wildlife, equestrian and farm animals -- backyard chickens are becoming very popular these days."
The other goal, Sean Barclay said, is not just to build a successful business, but to do so in a very specific way.
"We are solely a platform for small businesses to use," he said, adding that SocialAniMall.com has recruited 21 so far, with a goal of having 50 on board by the end of 2023.
"We want to support small, local business," he said, adding, to that end, he and Taylor have worked with Chattanooga Software Center and Riverworks Marketing Group.
Taylor Barclay said none of the products one will find on SocialAniMall.com could be purchased at "PetSmart or on Chewy ... these are all small-business owners, pumping dog treats out of their kitchens. We have a (vendor) who's actually a pastry chef turned dog-treat maker."
The Barclays said they've been married nearly six years. Taylor Barclay, a Wisconsin native, said they were living in Newnan, Georgia, but felt the need to make a move.
"We're outdoorsy people," she said. "We spent some time looking for the perfect place for us, and we moved to Chattanooga almost four years ago.
"We love the food scene, and there are lots of outdoor activities," she added. "Chattanooga offers everything a big city does -- minus the traffic."
Traffic's a factor for the Barclays, as they're both airline pilots. Taylor said she flies mostly regional routes, while Sean's based in Atlanta.
"So it had to be close," said Sean, a Knoxville native, who added that one advantage of an online business is that he and his wife can "take (it) on the road with us."
Taylor Barclay said that once she and her husband had settled on a concept, they talked it over with their families. She said that when they got two thumbs-up from her parents, both of whom are business owners, "we pulled the trigger pretty quickly."
The Barclays said their plan for now is to continue building a vendor base.
"We go to a lot of farmers markets," Sean Barclay said. "What we're running into now with vendors is a 'time vs. reward' scenario, because our name's not out there yet. We have to talk to people a few times to get them."
In five years, he added, he and Taylor hope to add services, such as veterinary and grooming referrals and riding lessons.
"We want to make it a one-stop shop," he said. "Start bringing that together."
But in another five years, Taylor Barclay said, SocialAniMall.com may well have become a "household name."
"I often refer to Etsy," she said. "That's a household name, and we've kind of modeled ourselves after Etsy -- but it doesn't have a pet category. We want to be Etsy for people with all sorts of pets."
Contact Bob Gary at bgary@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731.