For those people whose canine pets consider themselves connoisseurs of fashion and accessories, Park Ave Puppy’s is a little slice of doggie heaven.
The Spruce Street boutique offers designer doggie accessories, from Louis Vuitton dog collars to Swarovski crystal pet jewelry, and gourmet treats and other pampered pet provisions.
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Owner Susanna Barrett’s pet oasis grew out of her tendency to spoil her pet Chihuahua, Isabella.
Barrett bought her dog a European-style, heated pet carrier as one of the first of many puppy splurges. Now, 4-year-old Isabella has enough doggie-sized sweaters to fill her own armoire.
“She’s very spoiled,” Barrett said; and so stylish that people would frequently stop Barrett and ask where they could buy fancy accessories like Isabella’s.
Barrett – who was working as a booking agent for Elite Modeling Agency at the time, “a different spectrum of fashion” – had been scouring Web sites to outfit Isabella. So she launched her own Web site to sell the high-end pet products.
“That did really well,” Barrett said.
In October 2003, the Spruce Street location opened. The 1,400-square-foot space, named for fashionable Park Avenue in New York City, is crammed with Juicy Couture for dogs, special doggie herbal shampoos, pet carriers and even doggie rain gear. Various dog shirts and dresses proclaiming the wearer as “Diva” or “Princess” are popular sellers. A U.S. Coast Guard certified doggie life vest is another of Puppy’s popular items. Portraits of Isabella look out over the merchandise.
Six months after opening, Barrett wrote to The Learning Channel. The result was the “starting point” for Park Ave Puppy’s. Crews for the cable channel’s “While You Were Out” makeover show transformed an abandoned 1,000-square-foot patio into a Tuscan-style courtyard, complete with fountains, plants and wrought-iron tables and chairs.
“It’s a pet-friendly, historical site,” Barrett said. The “barkery,” which is directly behind the retail store, is usually bustling with people and their canine friends on Saturdays. The dogs can order from the barkery, while the human menu consists of takeout from Caserta Pizzeria.
The barkery has also hosted a number of unique canine events. Puppy’s hosts birthday parties for dogs and even some dog weddings. Barrett’s Chihuahua Isabella was married there. So far this season, 15 dogs have had birthday parties on the terrace.
“I was surprised how quickly it took off,” Barrett said.
So popular has Barrett’s high-end pet pampering business become that Puppy’s is expanding to Reservoir Avenue in Cranston. The 4,000-square-foot facility will offer grooming, a doggie day spa, retail space and a full-scale barkery. The barkery and retail side is scheduled to open Sept. 10. The grooming and spa is scheduled to open in December.
The spa center will offer doggie day care and boarding for weekend travelers.
“My genre of clients is funny,” Barrett said. Customers range from 20-something women who want to spoil their pets with the finest treats and clothes to elderly men who spoil their dogs.
“There’s really no typical clientele,” she said.
Barrett counts celebrity Hilary Duff among her clients. Duff, who was in town for a concert in July, visited the Spruce Street store for a promotion.
“She travels with her dog, Lola,” Barrett said.
The average customer spends about $50 per visit. A popular Louis Vuitton pet carrier costs $1,470. The most expensive item Puppy’s sells is a Swarovski diamond choker – which is not kept in the store.
“A new puppy client usually spends about $350 on their first visit,” Barrett said.
And for those customers who want to match their pets, Puppy’s sells nail polish that can be used on both pets and humans and matching dog collar and human bracelet sets.
