Zoë howls in delight over his favorite treat, Mystic Market All Natural Dog Bones, while creator Shannon Cather, manager, Mystic Market West, sits with Charles Spathakis’s, owner, Mystic Market, children, (l-r) Cole and Emma.
by Tyler Williams
photo by Alexis Ann
Every business starts with a vision, but for the business to truly succeed, attention must be paid to the details. Coastal Gourmet President, Charles Spathakis, does just that. He dedicates his career to serving as both innovative visionary and detailist to bring “gourmet” back to his native Connecticut shoreline.
As a graduate of Johnson & Whales University, Charles entered into the world of Culinary Arts, with a command for supreme customer service and unmatched quality. With this solid foundation, Charles and partner/chef Christine Seitz assembled a talented team and in 1993, opened Mystic Market, a community favorite with a flare for gourmet. The business flourished and after expanding into two locations, Mystic Market East and West, he continued the growth with the development of Coastal Gourmet Catering, providing upscale off premises catering. Sticking to his philosophy, that attention must be paid to the details, Charles recognized a growing need for elegant gourmet food preparation in the region. He continued to diversify his off-site operations to include the Stonington Yacht Club, Stonington Meadows, Aspen restaurant, Best New Restaurant 2009, and his most recent project of remodeling the Seaman’s Inne.
Today, his vision and attention to detail continues to drive the success of Mystic Market and his other endeavors. Mystic Market West, which was the first of the markets to open, is celebrating 17 years. As many people have discovered, Mystic Markets East and West both offer an abundant selection of culinary treats to fill your every need.
People’s needs are always growing and changing and people are becoming more health conscious, not only for themselves, but for their pets as well. It seems like everyone owns a pet these days and pets are becoming more and more a part of the family. People pamper their pets and want to make sure they have the best of everything; the best toys, the best beds, the best foods and the best treats.
It is important to watch what your pet is eating and people are aware that commercial dog biscuits contain additives and chemicals. Mystic Market’s All Natural Dog Bones eliminate all the unnecessary additives and chemicals and dogs think they taste great. Mystic Market West manager, Shannon Cather, perfected the recipes for her all natural dog bones and it is her creation that offers a healthy alternative to these lucky pooches. She created her all natural dog bones at home for her two dogs and the large batches she made created extras, which she brought in to the store. People began to ask for the all natural dog bones and the demand grew.
There are four different versions of the all natural dog bones and Shannon is in the process of working on a fifth. Shannon said, “Along with my fifth creation, demand has also called for me to start working on a cat treat line.” The four different flavors for dogs are Turkey Bacon Club, Chicken Liver Italiano, Peanut Butter Crunch and Beef Pot Pie. The natural ingredients are different in each creation and range from mashed and sweet potato to whole wheat flour and herbs.
Mystic Market’s All Natural Dog Bones contain only the healthiest of ingredients. After watching your dog eat grass, you know there’s a vegetarian side to your pet. Veggies are a great source of nutrients for us and our furry friends, but dogs sometimes can’t digest the tough fibrous components on their own. With Mystic Market All Natural Dog Bones, this is not an issue. They contain well balanced ingredients that keep your dog fit and healthy.
Obesity in dogs is a major health concern and, just as with people, canine obesity can lead to very serious health problems. A weight gain of a few pounds may not seem like much, but to a small pet one pound can be 10 percent of his body weight. That is a considerable amount to gain especially when you realize that is comparable to 15 pounds for an average adult!
A major contributor to obesity in dogs is an overabundance of unhealthy treats. Become more health conscious for your pet and pamper them with the very best dog treats out there, Mystic Market All Natural Dog Bones. Their great taste will leave your dog begging for more and their healthy ingredients will leave you feeling guiltless.
Charles and his talented team’s attention to detail and interpretation of the latest food trends make Mystic Market successful. Charles can continue to smile knowing that “gourmet” is back, not just for the few, but for everyone and their dogs to enjoy.
