Shop Talk

Martha Stewart decorates your home… and your pets

Michele Gershberg

Oct 20, 2009 21:04 UTC

Here is a post from our colleague Shradhha Sharma in Bangalore:

Martha Stewart loves your pet.

The home decorating expert and tastemaker (Macy’s good, Home Depot good, Kmart not so good) wants you to buy pet clothing, collars, leashes, bedding, grooming supplies, toys and more, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia said on Tuesday. Pet products retailer PetSmart Inc will sell the accessories starting in the spring of 2010.

Age Group Ltd, which makes licensed products for brands such as Disney, Baby Phat, Hello Kitty and Peanuts, will design the goods.

The announcement adds pet stores to the roster of retailers where you can see Martha’s name emblazoned on various products. As we mentioned above, Macy’s and Home Depot are two others. One place where you WON’T see her name anymore after next January is Kmart, the discount retailer. The company and Kmart are ending their relationship, something that’s been known for months. Stewart’s latest comment on that relationship came last Friday when she wished them well and said it would be wrong to interpret earlier remarks she made about Kmart as being inconsistent with her good feelings.

Those remarks, which she uttered on CNBC in September, were more in the spirit of “doberman pinscher” than “cute little kitten,” but no matter — PetSmart no doubt will sport a variety of tasteful Stewart products to suit a variety of temperaments and breeds.

Beanie Baby maker tries again with presidential pooch

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

After pulling “Marvelous Malia” and “Sweet Sasha” Beanie Baby dolls inspired by President Barack Obama’s daughters due to a complaint from First Lady Michelle Obama, toymaker Ty is selling a new plush toy inspired by the nation’s First Puppy — Bo.

Ty said its $4.99 Bo toy debuted on April 16 and sold out within hours of hitting store shelves. A portion of the sale proeeds will go to support animal shelters, the company said.

Bo toys already are on auction on eBay, where one seller is seeking $2,050 for a set of “authenticated” Sasha and Malia Beanie Baby dolls. You can find other Beanie Baby retailers here.

Homeless pets still need to eat

With foreclosures of homes on the rise, so are stories of pet abandonment, but pet food maker Del Monte says sales of dog and cat food and treats hasn’t been affected.

The New Haven Register in Connecticut reported on Nov. 23 of a dramatic rise in pet abandonment at shelters across the city, as adjustable mortgage rate resets make mortgages on many homes unaffordable, and rising food costs make paying for pet food and upkeep unrealistic.