It’s always nice to hear about people who transformed their passion into retail success. Jakki Liberman of Scottsdale, Arizona, became a fan of cloth diapers because her daughter was allergic to disposable diapers. A graphic designer, Liberman created a colorful, waterproof outer cover for cloth diapers. It attaches with Velcro and is tough enough to withstand many washings in hot water.

That was 20 years ago. Now her business has grown to the point where she plans to open a retail store soon. Presumably, it will carry not only the diaper covers, but also the bibs she devised from the same material as the covers. Liberman already has licensing deals with the Dr. Seuss brand and is a vendor to major marketers including Babies ‘R’ Us, Costco.com, Amazon.com and Target.com. Her Bumkins website is in soft pastel blues and pinks, which certainly appeal to the mothers who visit the site to buy Liberman’s many baby products.

Then there’s Steve Goldberg and Janet McCulley, founders of the Muttropolis chain of pet supply stores. As the name implies, Muttropolis is a mecca for dog and cat owners. I’ve visited the Solana Beach, California, store several times over the years. I’m always amazed at the variety of canine/feline products and how creatively they’re merchandised. The stores are full of visual puns about pets, as is the website.

Goldberg and McCulley, of course, love their pets. But they couldn’t find a store that carried all the unique dog and cat items they craved. These include premium organic and gourmet treats, bedding, canine “couture,” bowls, carriers, a special shedding blade for dogs, and Halloween costumes for pets–the kind of things they couldn’t find at Petco or PetSmart. So they opened the first Muttropolis in 2002. They seem to have filled a niche, and have expanded to four more stores. Sales-wise, they’re doing very well in this economy that’s going to the dogs.

Butts and mutts. Two retail opportunities that some smart, passionate people have turned into retail careers. What’s your passion? If it’s not on your store’s shelves, maybe it should be.