Dog Days
By: Jessica Burnette
If you’ve stopped by The Yellow Butterfly on Main Street, you were probably greeted by their most adorable employee, Bailey.
Bailey is a full-blooded English Cream Retriever, sometimes known as the Platinum Retriever because of its pale white coat. While most assume she is a Golden Retriever, and their breeding is quite similar, she is the European version. When compared to the well-known Golden, the English Cream is stockier built, has a bigger head, and rounder eyes. They are also calmer than American golden retrievers but no less playful or fun-loving.
Debbie Davis, the owner of The Yellow Butterfly, looked for almost nine months before they found Bailey. They quickly fell in love with 10-week-old Bailey, who is now a little over seven years old.
Debbie shared that her youngest son also has an English Cream. Debbie and her husband got him as a therapy dog after her son lost three close friends in a car accident last year. Ziggy, her son’s dog, currently “works” as the office dog at her husband’s office. Ziggy has a blockier head, and his temperament is much different than Bailey’s. While Bailey is calm and friendly, Ziggy is a little more rambunctious.
Bailey’s great temperament is what makes her a perfect “employee” for The Yellow Butterfly!
Debbie is a Wolverine at heart (Debbie Smith – Class of 1978). However, she and her husband relocated to the Five Forks area approximately 35 years ago. Debbie was with Palmetto Home and Garden for some time but always dreamed of owning her own store. Since overhead was so high in the Greenville area, she knew returning home to Woodruff would be perfect for her new business. The Yellow Butterfly opened in November of 2018 after she and her husband purchased the building and fixed it up.
Bailey started coming to work with her on day one. Her employees loved it; the customers loved it; Bailey seemed to love it too. While most of her day is spent “on the floor, “she is literally lying in the middle of the floor…she also makes sure to get up and greet every customer as they enter.
Customer, Lisa Smith, came in during the interview, and Bailey greeted her the second she entered. Lisa said, “Having Bailey here when I shop makes it so calm. It just feels like home.” She also added that every time she and her 2-year-old granddaughter ride past the store, she starts pointing and saying “dog” over and over. Lisa joked that it makes shopping with a toddler much easier, as she’s always begging to come and is entertained with Bailey while I shop.
Author: Tracy Sanders
