E. Claire & Co., a high-end store for dog and cat lovers in Valley Junction, will close in November because its owners are leaving Central Iowa.

The shop, known for its personalized pet accessories and its wide variety of toys and collars, had been open in West Des Moines for 3 1/2 years. Owners Jill and David Neidig are moving to Cincinnati, where David, who was until recently an anesthesiologist at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, has accepted a new job.

The business is the latest of several to either close or change hands this year in Valley Junction, a historic section of West Des Moines that once was known for its antiques stores but now is filled with eclectic shops that sell everything from clothing to crafts and artwork. Three Dog Bakery, another dog-oriented business in Valley Junction, was sold in May after spending a year on the market.

E. Claire, though fulfilling a dream for the Neidigs, never became as successful as she would have liked, Jill Neidig said. Recently, the store’s sales have been crimped by the opening of a PetSmart store in Urbandale and by customers turning to the Internet to purchase pet supplies.

“Running a specialty store in Des Moines is hard,” she said. “It’s been a good experience and I’ll miss the customers and our employees, who have been so loyal.”

As of last week, Jill Neidig was close to reaching an agreement with another business owner who wanted to lease the space, she said. Between now and November, E. Claire will be holding sales to dispose of its inventory.

The Neidigs, who together own four dogs and co-own several more with other canine fanciers, opened the store in 1999 after Jill retired from a 20-year-long nursing career.