Bark, Bath & Beyond coming to Two Rivers

Store to feature self-serve dog wash, organic bakery for pets

By: Cindy Hodgson, The Herald Times Reporter

TWO RIVERS — Shellie Jacquart doesn't want pets and their people to dread bath time. She wants them to have a good experience together, and she hopes her new business, Bark, Bath & Beyond, helps foster that.

"It's a wonderful thing to be able to relax with your dog," Jacquart said.

Her business, opening May 23 at 1813 Washington St., Two Rivers, will feature a self-serve dog wash and a bakery producing organic dog treats.

The dog wash portion will consist of a 5-by-3-foot tub with a seven-head massage sprayer.

"There will be fresh towels for every client," she said, as well as a choice of natural dog shampoos.

Aprons will be available to help keep people dry as they wash their furry friends, and there will be restraints to keep the animals in place.

While it's intended for dogs, the tub can be used for cats or other small animals as well, Jacquart said.

Appointments will not be necessary, but people who have dogs that don't get along with their peers can arrange for private sessions.

Jacquart said she will begin with one tub but the building will be set up for two so she can expand when necessary.

Costs haven't been determined yet but likely will range between $12 and $18, she said.

So why should people pay to give their dog a bath rather than just doing it in their backyard or bathtub?
Jacquart has a list of reasons.

Washing the dog outside with the garden hose means dousing the animal in cold water, she said. Besides that, the dog might get dirty again right away.

Unlike a regular bathtub, the tub at Bark, Bath & Beyond will allow people to walk all the way around it so they can reach all sides of the dog while the dog remains stationary.

They also won't have to deal with dog hair in the drain — she will clean and sanitize the tub between clients — and they won't have to bring their dog into their house while the animal is dirty and smelly.

For the people, the dog's bath time is "not going to be such a chore," she said.

And for the dogs?

"It's for them to enjoy a bath time instead of freaking out that they're going to get a bath," she said.

Mike Zimmer, executive director of Two Rivers Main Street, said he thinks the business will be successful even in tough economic times.

"People like to spend for their pets, and I think it's an underserved market," he said. "The pet industry is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy."

Spending on pets doubled from 1994 to 2006, according to Zimmer. He said the 2006 economic census showed more than $38.5 billion spent on pets, and another jump was expected in 2007.

"I would think her reach is going to be much farther than just Two Rivers," Zimmer said.

He believes people will come from throughout Manitowoc County and even from Kewaunee County to go to Bark, Bath & Beyond.

"It's unique, and there's nothing like it anywhere else in the area," he said.

Jacquart said she will bake most of the organic treats she will sell in her dog bakery. Products will range from chicken broth "pupsicles" to Tail Twists, which are like cheesy breadsticks but they are wheat- and gluten-free so they're healthier for the dogs.

A recipe book Jacquart will use includes a host of natural dog treats with names like Liver Bait Fudge and Marvelous Muttloaf.

Initially, Jacquart will sell only treats, but she plans to expand into dog food later.

Bark, Bath & Beyond also will carry vitamins and supplements for pets. While she's not trying to take the place of veterinary care, she believes there are natural alternatives to the medicines and chemicals often used, and that supplements can be helpful for preventative care. For instance, a chamomile pill successfully calms her two dogs in a thunderstorm and could be used instead of a dog tranquilizer.

When a purchase is made, it will be recorded electronically.

"Everything about your pet will be put in a database," she said.

That way, people won't have to remember exactly what they bought last time, and they can send someone else to pick up products and be sure they will get the right items.

Jacquart, who has been co-owner of Cousins Subs in Two Rivers for almost three years, is trying to make Bark, Bath & Beyond a destination for people and animals. She said when she walks her dogs, Molly, a cockapoo, and Lola, a Chihuahua-dachshund mix, there's nowhere she can go with them. She can't even go into a store and buy a beverage because she can't take them in with her.

"I never had a place to walk to," she said.

So her store will sell coffee from Stumpjack Coffee Co. as well as soda and water, and there will be a bench out front and a table and chairs inside. People can enjoy a beverage while their canine companion munches on a dog treat.

Jacquart said she has space to add a patio in the back if that's what customers want. The building also has a room that could be cleaned up and rented to people who want to have birthday parties for their pets, although that's a project for the future, she said.

Bark, Bath & Beyond will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Jacquart said she hopes "the dogs will bring their owners in. People are welcome."

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