Honey Brook welcomed its very own pet grooming business Bark Avenue at 2945 Horseshoe Pike, Honey Brook.
Angela and Allen Dove took what used to be a take out restaurant, Something Grilled, and turned it into an entirely new building. For the past few months, they have been cleaning, painting and decorating the building.
Angela said Bark Avenue’s goal is “to offer professional and kind grooming services at a fair price for the local community.”
The grand opening of Bark Avenue was Aug. 1, and the official first day of business was Aug. 4. They are open Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Services include bathing and hair trimming services for cats and dogs by appointment only. They also offer nail trimming and dremmeling as well, but as a walk-in service. They have many discounts, which include discounts for military men and women, senior citizen, firefighters, EMT, protective services, and multiple pets discounts.
Angela is the groomer and her family helps out by bathing the cats and dogs. Her kids Emily, 16, and Pierce, 11, enjoy helping out, and husband Allen does as well. They also help to dry the pets, which is done with all natural air, and no heat, so that way the pets dry, but do not get overheated. There is also one part time worker Steph Mann, who also helps to bath, but mostly works with the cats.
“Its always been a dream of mine to open a pet salon,” said Dove.
Dove has been grooming since 2000. She started by going to the Paragon School of Pet Grooming in Michigan. She completed about 500 hours, which was about three months of training. She finished her training at Pets-mart and worked there for 11 years. She then moved on to an animal hospital in West Chester, and finally has reached her dream of owning her own pet salon.
Diane and Jim Rowan are long time customers from Chester Springs and have been following Dove from business to business with their dog.
“I love this, I think that it’s wonderful,” said Diane.
The Dove family decided to start the business now because last year Allen was diagnosed with cancer and was unable to go to his job. They wanted something family oriented, and pet grooming was something that Allen could help out with, without it being too much. There was also a need for a dog grooming business in Honey Brook, according to Angela.
“The business was a good way to support the family, and its keeps me close to home,” said Angela.
Allen was told that he would only have until December to live, but he had beat the cancer and was in remission by December. He can now work at his old job and help out with the family business.
“She is very talented when handling dogs, she’s a dog whisperer,” said Diane and Jim Rowan.
The website is not up yet, but Bark Avenue can be found on www.yellowpages.com, or by calling 610-273-3322.
