By Alison Storm - ONLYforPETLOVERS South Carolina

At a time when rising gas prices and plummeting stock prices flood the evening news, there are plenty of stories out there warning people to spend less and save more. This is not one of them.

This is a story about a $40 billion industry banking on cashmere sweaters and $17 bottles of conditioner, items that probably seem like extravagancies to the average American’s budget. It’s an industry where tennis balls cost three times as much and the leather is always Italian. It’s an industry not just for the rich, but for the pets of the rich.

“It’s definitely extravagant,” admitted Jim Voss. Voss spent years working big names in corporate America until last year, when he and his wife decided to open Chloe and Grace, a home accessory and gift store in Greenville, S.C.

The store is situated in a desired neighborhood and caters to a crowd with more disposable income than most. Among the hand-crafted desk pieces and crystal bar ware sets are items purely for shoppers’ four-legged family members. Voss stocks all-natural organic snacks and custom-made dog cushions, partly because he knows the posh pet industry is hot and partly because he’s been known to spend big on his furry friends himself.

“The first place I found a cashmere sweater I picked it up and said, ‘that feels like one of my sweaters, I’ve got to get that for my dog’,” said Voss. After talking to Voss about his beloved dogs, it doesn’t take long to realize his shop, Chloe and Grace, isn’t named after his sisters or a couple of cherished aunts. No, Chloe and Grace are a pair of Yorkiepoos.

“There’s a reason that Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Prada make $1500 pet carriers,” said Voss. “They are few and far between, but those people have disposable income.” And so far he’s had good luck getting them to spend at least some of it in his store.

Here are a few of Voss’s favorite doggie indulgences. They are items his customers seem to be snagging up as well.

Jax and Bones Dog Beds, $65-$165, chimpfeet.com
Just as your pup fits perfectly into your family, his bed should fit perfectly into your decor. That’s where Jax and Bones dog beds come in. They offer a wide range of high quality, well designed fabrics that are comfy and cute. “They’re custom-made so you can match your interior,” said Voss.

The Sleepypod, $149.50, meowme.com
There is one Sleepypod in Voss’s store that’s not for sale, the one in the corner that has become one of his dog’s favorite landing spots when visiting the shop. It’s basically a bed with a detachable dome that can be sealed during travel or opened while at home. According to the company that makes the Sleepypod, it’s designed to fit each pet’s individual needs, whether they like privacy or need to be aware of their surroundings. Another cool feature of the Sleepypod is the warming pad that can be inserted into the bed lining. It’s a low-wattage warmer that can be hooked up to your car’s cigarette lighter or plugged in at home to keep your pet nice and toasty. (Warming Pad, $54.50, meowme.com)

Bodhi Toys, $11-$24, bodhhitoys.com, Simply Fido Dog Toys, $16.99, onlynaturalpet.com
Voss loves his dogs, but he doesn’t really like dog toys that much. “When the doorbell rings, we didn’t want to run around the house picking up squeaky chickens,” he said. For that reason, Chloe and Grace play with cuddly rabbits and monkeys from Simply Fido. The organic, plush toys are environmentally friendly and cute too, looking more like toys for kids rather than dogs. Bodhi is another line he carries. The company has several styles of double-seemed, non-toxic, creative toys. One of the company’s lines is homage to great artists like Matisse, Calder and Miro, proving pet toys can have good design too.

Lani-Dig Your Dog Bath Products, $14.95-$18.95, shop.lanidigyourdog.com
Don’t let your pooch have a bad hair day. Lani- Dig Your Dog offers dog wash, conditioner and body spray. So maybe you don’t spend $17 on your own conditioner, but then again, you’ll probably go through it a lot faster. As it says on the bottle, the products are always 100% natural and mostly organic.

Leather collars, $40, floydandjake.com
Made with top grade, hand-selected Italian leather, these collars made by Ruff Stuff Designs come in a rainbow of sherbet colors. The highly polished nickel buckle is marked with the engraved Ruff Stuff name. At Voss’s store, these collars will set you back $48, but if your furry family member is wearing one, they will walk in style.