Business & Tech

Lexington Pet Clinic Planning Expansion, Move to a New Location: Pick of Our Patches

The practice, owned by Dr. Amy Kizer and Dr. Alysia Ferguson, will likely move into the former Video Update storefront along Diffley Road.

For Dr. Amy Kizer, being a veterinarian is a little like being a detective; because her patients can't talk to her, it takes a little bit of sleuthing to figure out what's wrong.

It's a philosophy that has carried Kizer through years of veterinary medicine, first as an employee at the Sea Life Aquarium in the Mall of America (known then as Underwater World), then as a veterinarian in Inver Grove Heights and Eagan.

Now, Kizer, who moved into her Eagan practice in 2008, is planning an expansion that will give her growing business—the Lexington Pet Clinic—some much-needed elbow room.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Currently housed in a 1,260-square-foot space at 4250 Lexington Ave., the clinic may soon relocate to a vacant space at 1095 Diffley Rd. At 2,400 square feet, the new storefront would allow Kizer and clinic co-owner Dr. Alysia Ferguson to add a grooming service and a multi-purpose room for use as an pet owner education center, Kizer said.

Before the move is finalized, however, the Eagan City Council must approve a planned development amendment that would allow the pet clinic to shift into the storefront, which was the former home of Video Update. The council will likely vote on the amendment on Tuesday.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Kizer bought the Lexington Pet Clinic in 2008, but the practice was originally opened in 1993 by Dr. Gerald Ohlund, Kizer said.

After several years of operation, however, the pet clinic, has grown increasingly cramped for Kizer, Ferguson and their staff of two receptionists and three veterinary technicians.

“We like the visibility that building offers, off of Diffley, and being in that corner space," Kizer said of the Video Update site.

Kizer, who grew up in Eagan and attended Eagan High School, was drawn back to the community after attending the University of Minnesota because of its tight-knit nature. In part because of Kizer's focus on marine biology, the pet clinic has developed a niche in the treatment of fish, reptiles and other exotic animals.

But Kizer said the clinic is also set apart by its commitment to community organizations and volunteerism.

"I loved growing up in Eagan, it’s a great community," Kizer said. "Our clients are always looking to do the right thing for their pets."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Inver Grove Heights