Today I’d like to offer a sneak peak at a brand new business opening soon which will be of particular interest to dogs and the humans they love.
It’s called Woofs Canine Club and Indoor Dog Park, located at 187 West Main St. (at the corner of Barrett Dr.), in the former World Gym.
If you’re not familiar with the concept of an indoor dog park, you’re not alone. There aren’t many of them out there, even here in Rochester, where an indoor park makes a lot of sense. And this one is even different from the ones that ARE out there. Owner Christine Gigante has taken the idea of an outdoor dog park and, she says, “put a spin on it.”
What she means by that is that while Woofs will have the amenities you’ve seen at your average outdoor dog runs, like separate areas for large and small dogs, and lots of agility equipment on artificial turf, Christine will also be focusing on the human component of every dog/owner relationship.
Christine wants to make sure that dog owners get as much out of their visits as their dogs do. She recognizes that getting together with other dog owners has a huge social benefit, so she’s carving out areas for a cafe, pool table and a dart board so people can relax and have conversations while their dogs are getting some exercise. There will even be a small gym area so owners can get a workout while their dogs are getting a workout. (Both the cafe and gym will be separated from the run area by low walls so owners can watch their dogs play.) She’s even thinking about occasionally bringing in food trucks to help build the community.
“If I build it for the dogs, I automatically build it best for the humans,” Christine said. “It’s about getting quality time in your life back.”
Downstairs, a smaller room is being turned into a kind of private “V.I.P.” (very important pup) dog park which can be reserved for dogs with special needs. Next to that is space for a groomer and a photographer.
There’s still plenty of work to be done, but Christine is hoping to open in early December. Admission is membership-based, with day passes and packages available. Click here for more details, and I’ll let you know when Woofs is officially open!
A now a second, somewhat related part to this story:
A little while ago, Christine Gigante entered a contest called “Fab Over 40.”
The contest, sponsored in part by NewBeauty magazine, has invited women to submit their photos and stories for a chance to win $40,000, a two-page spread in the magazine, and a spa vacation.
Anyone can vote for their chosen contestant, and the really cool thing is that the contest also benefits the National Breast Cancer Foundation. While you do have the option to vote once a day without making a donation, if you DO choose to make a donation, your contestant will receive one vote for every dollar you donate.
So if you donate $10 to the Breast Cancer Coalition, your contestant will get 10 votes.
Christine has made it all the way through to the semi-finals, and has asked me to pass along the news. If you’d like to add your votes — and donations — to the cause, you can click here to see Christine’s page. (She would use her winnings to help build the new dog park.) Voting started this week and will run through Dec. 1 at 7 p.m.
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(posted 11/22/2022)
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While I love this concept; dogs like toddlers need parental supervision during their playtime at dog parks. As someone who lives in a city now with dogs – you cannot leave them u attended. Fights can start in the blink of an eye and cause serious injury as well as running accidents. Unless they will have hired staff to monitor the dogs like daycare the gym/cafe will probably become an issue for people not paying attention to bad dog behavior. Just a suggestion for extra staffing.
HI Stacie! Thanks for your comment. The workout and cafe areas will actually be in the same big room as the dog park, separated only by low walls so owners can watch their dogs while they work out or have a coffee. Thanks for noticing that I should make that clarification!