Bark Place in the Press

Boston Magazine Bark Place was just voted "Pick of the Litter!" Our PlayCare Studio won Pick of the Litter by Boston Magazine. "Pets Rule, The Ruff Guide!"
Boston Globe - Best of the New: Hangouts and Hot Spots (Erik Jacobs for the Boston Globe) Bark Place Think of this South End doggie spa/urban day-care center as a cross between Romper Room and Canyon Ranch for the four-legged set. Offerings for pups include play groups divided by size and temperament, etiquette lessons, fitness sessions, and spa services. Birthday party packages are available, too. Woof! 1721 Washington Street, Boston, 857-362-7494, barkplacesouthend.com
Chronicle - Friday, January 29 Best of the New 2010 Every January the folks at the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine make their picks for the best new arrivals in Greater Boston: intriguing people, fresh ideas, great hangouts and out of the ordinary places to grab a bite. And every year they give us a sneak peak before the newspaper hits your driveway - or screen. So join us tonight and make yourself a to-do list for 2010. Show Resources: Boston Globe Sunday Magazine's Best of the New 2010 Bark Place Dog Spa 1721 Washington Street Boston, MA 857-362-7494
MSPCA Dirty Bow Wow Fundraiser
	Logan and his owner Andrea were featured in Boston Sunday Herald page 2, with a caption "Logan's Fun."
	Fox News filmed several dogs getting washed - all for a good cause.
	Brian, from MSPCA, giving an interview to Fox News.

BOSTON | May 5, 2009

Groom with a View
Bark Place DIY Dog Washing

The last time Puppy went to the groomer, he came out looking like your mom circa 1985 (hot pink nails and a rhinestone bandanna).

Take matters into your own hands with the DIY washing stations at recently opened Bark Place in the South End.

Dogs step into elevated tubs while you tie on a waterproof apron and choose from a selection of natural shampoos and conditioners. Brushes, towels, dryers, and a heavenly scented finishing spray are provided (bonding time with your buddy is a bonus).

Professionals can handle the cringe-inducing services (nail clipping, teeth brushing) or do it all while you shop the boutique and scan the all-day doggy PlayCare and training schedules.

Ensuring your baby looks bedazzling.

Bark Place, 1721 Washington Street (857-362-7494 or barkplacesouthend.com).

The Boston Courant
March 20, 2009

by Jeb Bobseine
Courant News Writer
A flurry of South End businesses have opened their doors, or soon will, in 2009, belying the popular wisdom that a recession is a bad time to start a commercial venture.

Doing business in a rough economy can be daunting, at times, conceded Kent Newton, a hair stylist who opened a salon at 1315 Washington Street in January.

"Of course everyone is concerned... [But] I have a very loyal clientele, and everybody's found me," said Newton, who opened his salon after 10 years at Mario Russo in the Back Bay.

"People are still getting their hair done. They might be stretching it out a little longer. - [But] it's going great," Newton said.

When Newton moved forward with his plan to start his own place last June, he did not see the downturn on the horizon. "There was no way you could have predicted [the recession]," Newton said, but now that he has opened his salon, he is living with that decision.

"What are you going to do?" he said. "You just keep plugging away."

Like Newton, Kathi Molloy and her husband began planning to open Bark Place more than a year ago, when the economy seemed to be in better shape. "We planned this a year ago," Molloy said of the soon-to-open spa and boutique for dogs, which will be located in Minot Hall, at 1721 Washington Street. "We are very excited, and we're looking forward to being here," she said.

However, Molloy is already thinking of offering deals to entice customers. These may be "special products" or "special prices," she explained. "We're going to do as much [of that] as we can."

Bark Place is scheduled to open next month.

A half-mile away, Stephanie Sokolove recently opened Stephi's on Tremont, a restaurant at 571 Tremont Street. According to Sokolove, she has no special plans to combat the recession's effect on the restaurant business, "other than praying to the gods."
She predicted the restaurant's bar would draw consumers who, in these tough times, simply want a drink.

"We're going to do what we do and do it well," Sokolove said, who also owns Stephanie's on Newbury in the Back Bay.
CVS Pharmacy has a similar outlook for their newest store planned for the neighborhood, at 285 Columbus Avenue. The company recently obtained signage District Commission.

"We're not recession-proof," said CVS spokesperson Mike DeAngelis. "We're recession-resistant, to a degree."

Most transactions at CVS are for essential items, or relatively cheap items, he explained. The average transaction is $12. However, DeAngelis stressed the company is not immune to the recession's effects.

Last year, CVS opened 320 new stores "across all markets," he said. This year, that number is down slightly, between 250 and 300. However, that is still "in the realm," he said.

The Columbus Avenue CVS is scheduled to open by this summer.

Asian grocery store C-Mart, with three locations already in the city, opened a location at 50 Herald Street on January 24.

Reggie Wong, a consultant to C-Mart on the project, said despite the weak economy, C-Mart owners felt the time was right to expand into the area.

"In spite of the economy, it was a good opportunity to establish a market in the lower Washington Street area of the South End, where there was a good customer base of mixed ethnicity," Wong said. "Also, many of the Asian shoppers at the 692 Washington Street location were walking customers from the South End, so this was an added convenience for them."

Additional Published Articles:

Article by Jeb Bobseine from the Courant