Santee Pet Store Owner Named California's Top Entrepreneur

Less than a year after opening his family-run pet store, Devon Julian is heading to the White House as California's newest Small Business Person of the Year.

Julian founded Village Pet & Feed in Santee with a simple mission: create a pet store that felt like it belonged to the community, not just another place to buy kibble. The approach worked faster than he imagined.

"I live here, I'm raising my family here, and I felt like something was missing," Julian said. "There are plenty of places to buy pet food, but there wasn't really a place that felt like it was for the community."

Village Pet & Feed goes beyond selling supplies. The store offers self-serve dog washes, nutrition education, and personal guidance for pet owners making health decisions for their animals. Customers are greeted by name, and the team takes time to answer questions about pet care.

That personal touch earned the store "Santee's Favorite" at the Chamber of Commerce Gala in its first year. Then came the big news: the U.S. Small Business Administration named Julian California's 2026 Small Business Person of the Year.

"It's honestly humbling," Julian said. "If you've ever run a small business, you know it's not easy. There are a lot of ups and downs, a lot of long days, and a lot of moments where you're just figuring it out as you go."

Julian traveled to Washington, D.C. during National Small Business Week to receive the award. The recognition included an invitation to the White House, an experience he called both surreal and motivating.

The Ripple Effect

Julian credits his success to everyone around him: his wife and children, his parents, his team, and his business partners. He doesn't see the award as his alone but as proof that community-focused businesses still matter.

"There's something different about walking into a place where people know your dog," he said. His store hosts adoption events and community gatherings, creating connections that go beyond transactions.

The first year brought typical startup challenges, from financial uncertainties to maintaining a personal touch while growing. Strong community support and a clear mission kept the business moving forward.

Julian hopes Village Pet & Feed continues evolving into more than a retail space. "At the end of the day, I didn't just want to open a store," he said. "I wanted to build something that actually belongs to Santee."

When small businesses succeed, their communities do too.