In Downeast Dog News’ reader poll for 2013, local pet store “Two Salty Dogs” won best pet store in Maine.

Selection was by readers of the magazine. In their April issue, a poll appeared where readers could write down their favorite pet store, veterinarian, pet product from Maine, best shelter, trainer and more.

Two Salty Dogs, located at the corner of Boothbay House Hill and McKown Street, has been open for just under one year. They opened in May of 2012 on Max’s birthday, one of owners Don and Liana Kingsbury’s three black labs.

Wait, three labs? Then why is it called Two Salty Dogs? This is a question Don Kingsbury gets asked very often. Though he sometimes tells people he and his wife are the “salty dogs,” the true story is much sweeter.

“Right before we opened, our friend called us upset,” Kingsbury said. “She couldn’t take care of her dog anymore. His name was Cole, and he was a sweet black lab.

“What else could we do? We took him in; Max and Auggie had a new friend, and his name was changed. To Coal. It was an easy adjustment for him,” Kingsbury said.

The couple got the idea to open the store when they were in Boothbay Harbor and decided to get one of their labs a treat. To their surprise, there was not one pet store in the whole downtown area.

“Boothbay Harbor is such a pet-friendly town, and we counted 12 dogs on the streets. A pet store just made sense. We saw opportunity, and I was ready for a job that would keep me closer to home and my dogs,” Kingsbury said. “And my wife,” he added.

The Kingsburys are very pleased to win best pet store after only a year of being open.

“It validates what we are doing, shows people like what we are doing and the products being offered,” Kingsbury said.

Service is also a big part of why people like Two Salty Dogs. When customers buy big bags of food, which is kept in the back shed, Don Kingsbury tells the customer to pull around with their car and he carries it out to them. They also special order products they don’t currently have in stock, for people with animals other than dogs and cats.

“I love this store,” customer Anna McKenna said. “Here you get the best service, the best products (many made in Maine) and dog kisses to boot.”

At least one of the three labs is always at the store to greet customers and attempt to snitch treats out of the bins close to the ground.

The Kingsburys' next project is to open a dog park in Boothbay, with the help of the town and locals who support the idea. The current plan is to open the park near the Clifford Playground, but the project is still in the early planning stages.

Anyone interested in helping with the project can get involved in several ways: email nojumpies@TwoSaltyDogs.net, call 207-633-PETS, like the Facebook page, or stop into Two Salty Dogs.

Katrina Clark can be reached at 207-633-4620 or katrinaclark@boothbayregister.com. Follow her on Twitter: @BBRegisterClark or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BBRegisterKatrinaClark.