By the Bootstraps

Many articles talk about the idea of a good or service being recession-proof, or immune to the fluctuating economy. Booze, chocolate, video games… consumers are still buying. But one industry proving to withstand the economic downturn may surprise you; according to a Chicago Sun-Times article, the pet industry has grown by $2.2 million to $45.5 million. One woman interviewed for the article said she spent $5,000 per month on her Chihuahua and cut back in other areas to make sure she could still afford the lifestyle her beloved pet had grown accustomed to. Chicago pets are in luck – there are plenty of area small businesses dedicated to keep a pooch posh during the recession. The Google Map below highlights just six of them.

View Every Dog Has His Store in a larger map

Photo credit: “New Guinea Singing Dog,”

All that remains in the space that once housed Lincoln Square dance studio Design Dance Chicago is a lamp and a speaker. According to owner Debra Guinta, 25, the studio had to move from its original home at 4710 N. Damen at the end of June this year because of building issues.

“When we first decided we were closing, there were many tears,” Guinta said. “It was very sad.”
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