Bark Avenue is
located in Old Town Lafayette in the Graham House,
which dates back to the 1890’s. The building served as a cafe, a
small boarding house, and a family residence prior to the time it was
purchased by Sally deBeque Smith and J. P. Smith to establish a pet
boutique
that became respected for Sally’s expertise in training and dog care, wide selection of collars, quality food and treats, unique gifts, and sight hound furnishings, including custom coats for greyhounds, whippets, and Italian greyhounds,
along with any other breeds that may benefit from special fittings.
Sally
delighted visitors by bringing one or
more of her whippets to the shop on a regular basis, and the show crowd often found just what they were seeking. As Lafayette and Erie grew, Sally
and J.P. (Rick) lost their treasured rural solitude and moved to the middle
of several acres in Grand Junction.
Since Dede
Christopher couldn’t imagine Lafayette without Bark Avenue
after pitching in to help Sally over the years, Bark Avenue changed
hands in the fall of 2004. Champion whippets have been replaced by
Dede’s rescued mutts and her school-aged grandson, but the unique and
friendly atmosphere of Bark Avenue remains, along with a policy of
providing
informative assistance and a devotion to customer service and quality
products.
Bark Avenue Pet Boutique
