Interview with Allison Achee, DVM, and Tim Ruggles, DVM
How did you get involved in this business?
Tim and I have been lifelong animal lovers – me with my first cat, Morris, an overgrown tabby who was bigger than I was, and Duke, a lovable yellow Lab who made Marley of “Marley and Me” fame appear calm and well-trained by comparison. Tim’s first animal companions were his hamsters, Scoot and Skedaddle, who more than once survived a multiday adventure after escaping from their habitat, and Scooter the cat, who had quite the tough-girl reputation. Fast-forward many years of school, internships and practicing for other veterinarians until 2010 when Tim and I were beginning to think about starting our own practice. On a whim one day, we decided to visit a longtime vet friend at her practice and she casually mentioned that she thought she heard that Dr. Cole’s old building (our current location) might be on the market. Tim and I had brought some of our animals to see Dr. Cole many years before and had always admired his practice. It was a lovely building in a beautiful location and just 10 minutes away from our home. We checked it out that very day and, as if by design, just that week it had gone on the market after being empty for two years. A couple of phone calls later and the negotiations had begun.
What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
Tim and I met our sophomore year of high school and have been together ever since. Having practically grown up together through high school, college and veterinary school, we work well together and share a vision for what we want our hospital to be. We both have many years of experience working for other practices, including voluntary yearlong internships at busy specialty practices where we received intensive training in complicated medial and surgical cases as well as emergency medicine. We never tire of discussing cases at work or at home in an attempt to achieve the best outcomes for our patients and clients. We are so fortunate to have a top-notch staff of certified veterinary technicians who are not only talented, but also incredibly compassionate and caring. It is important to all of us to go above and beyond for our clients and patients.
What do you like best about your line of work?
The easy answer is our patients. It is such a joy to take care of our sweet, furry friends, to strive to keep them healthy, happy and safe. Working with our wonderful, dedicated clients in that goal is so very rewarding. We are fortunate to be a part of an amazing community filled with animal lovers. Veterinary medicine is a great challenge. Every day is unique and no matter how many years we have been in practice, there is always something new to learn.
What is your business’ biggest challenge?
From the start, we faced challenges in making our dream a reality. First, there was an arduous real-estate transaction (a yearlong process to make the property ours), then a six-month remodel of a building that had been empty for two years and never winterized. Once we were finally ready to open the doors, perhaps the largest challenge was upon us – the task of building a client base for a brand-new practice in a sparsely populated semi-rural area. Each of these challenges has been met with the unwavering support of amazing family and friends. Our real estate agent, who fought for us during a long year of negotiations on the building purchase, has become our dear friend in the process. Our parents, brothers, their families and aunt and uncle have worked selflessly and tirelessly for countless hours, days and weeks on our behalf during the remodel and as we continue to make improvements. We now have a number of clients who go out of their way to recommend our hospital to their friends and neighbors. The task of starting a new business, as first-time owners and in challenging economic times, has been made so much more manageable with all of the incredible support of these amazing people.
Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
Our building has so much history. It was built in the 1930s and, prior to being established as a veterinary clinic in the ’80s, it had many incarnations, including as a curio shop and restaurant. It was a popular stop for tourists traveling to the mountains from Denver on U.S. 40 before Interstate 70 was built. We are so proud to have lovingly restored and recycled it into a thoroughly modern yet welcoming veterinary hospital that reflects our beautiful, peaceful surroundings. We are a short, lovely drive from either Golden and the western suburbs or the Evergreen area.
Business: Lookout Mountain Animal Hospital
Address:24059 U.S. 40, Golden
Hours: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-noon Saturday
Founded: 2010
Contact: 303-526-4141; lookoutmountainanimalhospital.com
Employees: 3
To suggest a business for us to profile, e-mail soelrich@denverpost.com.
