Been meaning to note the recent arrival of signage for LoveThyBeast on Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... in the gut-renovated and rebranded Shops on East Fifth Street.
The store, which is expected to open very soon, sells accessories for pets — and their owners.
Founder Tiziana Agnello previously sold her pet wares at pop-up events and online as well as a few retail outlets, such as Urban Outfitters.
LoveThyBeast joins the coffee shop Southern Cross in this new strip of remodeled storefronts. One of the three retail spaces remains on the rental market.
A sure sign of gentrification which nobody ever mentions is pet boutiques. Uptown this is big business with doggy restaurants and spas, watched one of those NY "lifestyle" show just the other day. Along with new pampered residents come their pampered pets.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anon for letting us know that THIS seals the deal for the East Village being gentrified in March of 2017. Meanwhile- she's been making dog stuff out of her apt. in Williamsburg the past few years. I think even by EVG standards, she's allowed to open a store that isn't a record playing bodega serving egg-cream bottom shelf vodka drinks .
ReplyDeleteAll the snark on a previous post prompted me to try Southern Cross coffee. Really nice people and great coffee and pastries. I live on the block and am happy to have them there.
ReplyDeleteWasn't there another doggy boutique at the other end of the block, near Rite Aid? At any rate, it's gone, so not sure how much of a demand there is for this type of business.
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ReplyDeleteI never said the owner did not have the right to open a pet boutique, I did say the arrival of this kind of shop in the EV indicates a different, wealthier resident is now here to support it.
There has been a dog boom in the neighborhood in the past 5 years, dogs are expensive to care for and pure breeds are really expensive to purchase. I live on a great block which unfortunately is a destination for people walking their dogs which means a lot of barking, mini dog fights, and worse of all poop left on sidewalks and in tree wells which the block associate tries to grow plants and flowers in which is now day futile.
They will likely not last long. Though specialty stores seem to do better on this block. The cafe is empty pretty much all of the time and when I asked the cops if they get their coffee there they laughed and said it has a chandelier. People will have trouble in that small strip of storefronts no matter what they name it and how they try to advertise it. Block does not go all the way through and is packed with police cars. The krishna juice space now has a sign up for a spa. Keep meaning to take a pic of it then I start talking to the cops and forget! But yeah some kinda of nail or skin type spa is opening up there soon. They gutted the space weeks ago. They were nice and I kept meaning to buy something but it was too culty in there. Heh.
ReplyDeleteI'm hardly a pampered resident but I do have a pair of pampered pups whose poop I scoop religiously. I don't understand the animus amongst non dog owners. My pets have made my life exponentially better. I will check this place out.
ReplyDeleteThe animus is these places displace record stores, book stores, and other artistic, creative businesses and cater to people who by and large could care less about culture, ok? Let's open a store catering to dogs and their owners, but not a cafe where people could meet then collaborate.
ReplyDelete@1:34 lol. Yeah, pet stores did in record shops. And if you really think any neighborhood on this island needs another cafe for people to "collaborate" in, you should open one. I'm sure it'll be as successfull as the rest, with all the "collaborators" spending $3 to occupy space, electricity, wifi, and other resources for 8-12 hours.
ReplyDeleteI live in the neighborhood and I am so excited to get a pet store with real soul! On my walks every day with my dog, I noticed that the owners are hard at work painting the walls, the floor and even assembling their own furniture! These women are super encouraging and we should be proud to welcome them with open arms. Enough with the hate you guys!!
ReplyDeleteI think the East Village has always been a pretty good dog hood with lots of bars being dog friendly and Tompkins Square Park dog run is pretty well looked after. If the new store isn't ridiculously overpriced I welcome it. Far better than another loud bar. Other favorite dog spots are unleashed on ave b and whiskers on 9th st.
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