Bark Avenue specializes in happy dogs and happy dog owners

Bark Avenue Hotel and Spa is more than just a place to get your pet groomed. It’s a paradise for fur babies. 

As an animal lover, owner Terra Brown has worked with animals almost all of her life. Over the years, her love for animals grew and so did her grooming abilities.

Opal gets a birthday treat.

“I’ve been grooming forever,” Brown said. “I’ve been off and on grooming since I was like 15, and I’m 51 now. I’ve had other jobs but this is something I’ve always wanted to do, and it’s like I say, do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

Before opening Bark Avenue, Brown went to her customers to groom, but when the opportunity to open a brick-and-mortar site presented itself, she took it.

“I was a mobile groomer, and being mobile is difficult,” she said. “So after talking to Leon Gilmer, who owns this building, I bounced around my idea of having a dog hotel. Sure, you can go to the vet but this is a completely different atmosphere. The vet is great. They’re wonderful people to have in charge of dogs being boarded, but I wanted something different. Mr. Gilmer told me that he had the perfect building for me. 

Play time!

“We moved down here, and it took us a year to build this. I was still doing my mobile grooming and coming down here to build this.”

Today she is the proud owner of an establishment that serves as a doggy daycare, hotel and spa for her furry charges in addition to offering a full suite of grooming services and even special treats.

“We have rooms, and they are not in kennels,” Brown said. “We also have daycare from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. where they have playtime indoors and outdoors, a bubble machine, TV … Nap time is between 1 and 2 p.m., and it’s almost like operating a child’s daycare. A lot of their owners even bring in lunch, which they eat right before nap time.”

Each day, Brown does her best to make sure that each pup that sets foot in Bark Avenue is happy and well taken care of. Though it is challenging, she says there hasn’t been a day yet that feels like she’s working.

Take home special treats.

“I’m offering something that I saw a need for,” she said. “There wasn’t a place where you could take your dog for daycare. These dogs come in, and they are so excited. They can run off some energy because they might’ve been staying in a yard, or the people might live in an apartment or whatever it may be. 

“I like for people to know that whenever they need us, their dogs are well taken care of, and they’re safe, and they’re very happy. If you address all of their needs, then you have got a happy pup and a happy owner.”

Bark Avenue is located at 2230 South Frontage Rd. Call 601-630-5291 for more information, and also visit the Facebook page.