Business & Tech
Meet the Owner: Ed Dressen
Ed Dressen has owned and operated Eagle Pet Center in Shakopee for more than 40 years.
Like many business owners, Ed Dressen is gearing up for the busy holiday season, but, he won’t be putting out racks of clothes or peddling electronics. Instead, he’ll have an array of hamsters, canaries and guinea pigs on display. Dressen owns and operates in Shakopee.
“I have an interesting job, that’s for sure,” Dressen said. “Not everyone gets to interact with animals like I do. I really enjoy it.”
Inside his shop, 80 aquariums line the wall on one side and birds sing on the other. Dressen takes pride in caring for the animals, all of which come from local breeders.
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“Big box stores don’t know how to keep pets alive,” he said. “Plus, a lot of those pets don’t interact with humans until they are taken home from the store, and that doesn’t make for a good pet.”
Dressen says many of his customers seek out small pet shops like his because of bad experiences with pets from big stores. “Pets that come from those stores tend to bite more because of the lack of interaction,” he said. “I have a lot of loyal customers that will only get their pets here because they know I only work with breeders that I know, and because these animals are cared for while they wait for a new home.”
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Aside from his pet selection, Dressen says people come into the shop for knowledge. “I get asked a lot of questions about pet care,” he said. “Since I’ve been in this business for 42 years, I have a lot of tricks of the trade that can help pet owners.”
Dressen, 60, opened his business when he was just a teenager and it has been thriving ever since. “It was something I was interested in at an early age,” he said. “I’m still working at it, learning more each day.”
For people in the community, Dressen’s shop has become a staple. “It’s nice to know that small businesses like Eagle Pet Shop can survive in Shakopee, because that’s certainly not true in all cities,” Shakopee Resident Pam Larson said. “I think it’s a great little shop.”
For Dressen, it’s a lifelong profession. “It’s been a good business and is certainly better than being retired,” he joked. “I like animals, I like people. I’m happy.”
Eagle Pet Shop is open seven days a week, Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.