When Nieci Pryor was diagnosed with a chronic disease, and the resultant regimen of pain pills and anti-inflammatories came to hamstring her quality of life, her decision to change her eating habits kickstarted a personal avocation that became a flourishing enterprise.
“My daughter in California, she’s like, ‘No, Mom, you need to eat healthier,’” she said. “So I started eating organic, and I wanted my pets to eat organic as well.”
Pryor began making organic, and even vegan, dog treats for her own dogs. Posts on Facebook about her unique new culinary pastime generated buzz on Facebook, which eventually became 13 orders from fellow pet owners.
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“I just kept on getting orders on top of orders on top of orders, and not realizing so many people were looking for the healthy, organic, vegan treats, pieces, cakes, that type of stuff, for their pets as well,” she said.
The burgeoning business, Nieci’s Green Bites, launched in 2016 from her home in Ridge Spring, with Pryor preparing orders of dog treats from her kitchen. From there she went on to sell the treats from pop-up tents, and eventually from a van—her “doggie treat truck”—to a brick-and-mortar storefront in Aiken.
After operating the store in Aiken for about a year, Pryor has set up shop across the river in downtown Augusta, refurbishing a century-old Broad Street storefront into a glistening haven for pet owners.
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Alongside a variety of Nieci’s name brand delicacies for customers’ furry friends—treats, dry foods, even pet pizzas and cakes—the store also offers other pet supplies, such as toys and leashes, and even handmade soaps.
The treats are gluten-free and even vegan—“they need fruits and vegetables just like we do”—though food and treats for cats still contain meat.
Pryor notes the stringent protocols for acquiring certification from the USDA to name her products as organic.
“It took me about three years to get there,” she said. “A lot of people claim to be organic or vegan, and they’re not displaying that USDA logo. You have to go through the whole process, and there is a process with it. You have to send it out for the guaranteed analysis. That’s not an easy task.”
Pryor’s soft opening in Augusta in early February is the first step in a larger plan to encourage healthy diets for pets. The second half of the building is currently undergoing renovations to include a kitchen for preparing pet foods, and space to offer grooming and overnight kennel services, turning the store into a “full-service one-stop shop,” Pryor said. Opened in Augusta, she aims to offer grooming and kennel services as well.
“I love happy pets, and to see a happy, healthy pet. I love that,” she said. “And if I can provide that, that’s what I would like to do. That’s why I kept on going.”
Nieci’s Green Bites Pet Boutique and Spa is located at 908 Broad St. Its grand opening is expected near the end of March.
Skyler Andrews is a reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
