Sometimes, Saying Goodbye Is What Makes a Place Feel Like Home

Sometimes, Saying Goodbye Is What Makes a Place Feel Like Home

How Keith Zeiler and Tim Andrews Built Paws on Chicon

There are moments in business that no spreadsheet can measure.

At Paws on Chicon, sometimes a customer walks in with a dog who may not have much time left. The team sits on the floor, listens to the stories, and sometimes cries alongside the family. There’s no sale to make or product to recommend. Just people saying goodbye to a member of their family, surrounded by people who understand.

When Tim Andrews shared these moments with me, I realized Paws on Chicon was much more than a pet store. It got me thinking: How do you build a business that becomes such a meaningful part of people's lives?

For Tim and his business partner, Keith Zeiler, it started with two dogs and a move to Austin.

After years of running a real estate brokerage, Tim, who grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and Keith, who grew up in Alaska, were ready for better weather. A visit to Austin convinced them to make the move. They quickly noticed how dog-friendly the city was, but their new East Austin neighborhood lacked a store focused on healthy pet food and honest nutritional advice.

They decided to build the store they'd want for their own dogs, Kona and Kylie.

In 2018, Paws on Chicon opened in a 600-square-foot space at 13th and Chicon. Keith earned a pet nutrition certification, and the business grew quickly. Within nine months, they expanded into the neighboring unit, added self-serve dog washes, and introduced an unexpected hit: dog-friendly frozen yogurt made with goat's milk, in flavors like Bacon, Pumpkin, and Peanut Butter.

The froyo got people through the door. The personal advice and relationships brought them back.

Word spread through friends, neighbors, and local animal-rescue volunteers. Their second location opened in South Austin during COVID, where they hosted a doggy drag show that drew around 1,000 people and raised money for animal rescue and Out Youth, a local LGBTQ nonprofit. Their third store opened in Easton Park in May 2025.

But when I asked Tim what he found most rewarding, he didn't talk about expansion or revenue. He talked about rescue dogs finding their feet again, worried owners getting help with nutrition, and employees growing into people who believe in the business and its mission.

And, of course, those final visits with beloved pets.

That's what makes a local business special. The products matter, but the relationships are what give it meaning.

I'm Bhushan Ekbote, CEO of TAB Austin (tabaustin.com), where we bring together small groups of non-competing business owners to share challenges, learn from one another, and make better decisions. I met Tim through the free Austin job board we run to help local small businesses hire, and I share stories like his because our local business community is full of lessons worth celebrating. If you're an Austin business owner looking for a group of peers who understand the journey, reach out to TAB Austin to learn about sitting in on a CEO Roundtable.

Paws on Chicon is hiring, too. Visit pawsonchicon.com or email careers@pawsonchicon.com. If you're in Austin, stop by 1301 Chicon St with your dog and try the froyo.

You might come in for a treat. You might leave with some good advice. And you may discover that the best businesses aren't just places where we buy things. They're places where we feel we belong.