Maplewood's Moosylvania Provides Free Service to Local Businesses

For the second year in a row, a main street Maplewood business has collaborated with , a design and marketing firm a block off Manchester road.

Summer interns from Moosylvania worked with the Maplewood business owners to spruce up their storefronts. Last year they designed a new window display for . This year they chose .

“It’s a great opportunity for them to use their creative skills and work together as a team,” Moosylvania account executive Tyler Davis said. “It’s not only good for them to work with a real live client, also helps out the Maplewood community.”

Intern, Pate Schmid, said the front windows of Airedale Antics will be covered with yellow paper with a dog cut-out on one side and a bird sitting on a cat’s back on the other.

“It’s a way for people to look in, they’re intrigued, they look in, they get closer to the door, then they think might as well go in,” Schmid said.

He said the images of the bird and cat, as well as the dog, indicate the store isn’t just about Airedales.

“They give knowledge, awesome costumer service and tons of great products,” Schmid said. “We wanted to make sure everyone knew what was in the store.”

The interns also decided to put the isles in the store at an angle so customers will be able to see what’s available more easily.

A piano that was in a front window will move to the back of the store. Owner Tony Phipps said his daughter plays, and takes lessons right in the store.

He said the interns have been good to work with.

“We like the way they’ve designed the front. It will be easily recognized exposure,” he said. “People will know it’s a pet shop. Now they don’t know what it is.”

He said the plan is to add signage at the back, which will help customers find the store from the parking lot.

Phipps said one of the Moosylvania owners has his dog groomed there, which might have been a reason he was chosen.

“Probably the real deciding factor is they looked at our front window and said, ‘Boy that would be a great project for our team,” he said.

The service is free to Phipps, other than any miscellaneous supplies.

He said the interns made a presentation, then gave him a flash drive with two designs to take home and decide. Two teams of Moosylvania interns submitted designs, and Phipps chose parts of each.

“It amazes me how easy it comes together for them,” Phipps said. “It’s not something that I could have done. I don’t have that vision.”