Mud Bay in Business Names

The names of at least two Olympia-area businesses are inspired by the Mud Bay that’s located west of the city at the head of Eld Inlet. One, MudBay [pet products], helps advertise its products by providing a dispenser of free pet waste mitts at the Old Ferry Landing park in Gig Harbor (see photo taken last summer). There may be other similar dispensers in the Puget Sound area, but this is the only one I have noticed.

MudBay [pet products] was founded 1988 in a building on Mud Bay Road, which crosses Mud Bay just north of Route 101 in Thurston County. The Olympia-area Mud Bay, the largest of the three Mud Bays in Washington, is about 1.5 miles long. The other two Mud Bays (on Lopez Island and in Kitsap County) are smaller. I couldn’t find any businesses that are named after them.

MudBay [pet products] expanded rapidly after 2000 and eventually moved its headquarters from Mud Bay Road to Harrison Avenue in Olympia. It now has more than 50 stores in Washington and Oregon. The company stocks one of the largest selections of natural food for cats and dogs of any retailer in the country. They also sell pet toys, treats, and supplies.

“Pet products” isn’t actually part of the company name. Also the company omits the space between “Mud” and “Bay” in its name and on its signs. Even so, I added [pet products] as a descriptor while writing about them in this post to clear up any confusion with a second Olympia-area business that also uses Mud Bay in its name: Mud Bay Coffee Company.

I’m a coffee lover and the Mud Cat is almost out of catfood. Sounds like a trip to Olympia is in order.