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Cookman Avenue’s Top Dog

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Asbury Park, an old beach resort town that stumbled into decades of crime, is on the upswing thanks to businesses like Asbury Bark.

This past weekend, I visited a boutique called Asbury Bark in Asbury Park, N.J. If you’re not a New Jersey native like me, you still might recognize the city name from the classic Bruce Springsteen album, “Greetings from Asbury Park.”

The town has been through a lot of changes over the last several decades, and having lived at the Jersey Shore my whole life, I have seen it go from a sad, crime infested dead zone to a bustling downtown with a hip, fun style. Long ago, it was the place to be for shopping, going to the beach and socializing, and it’s good to see it getting closer to its former glory.

Owner Jim Modica was kind enough to let me videotape his store for a video PetStyleNews.com and PetProductNews.com are collaborating on and in the course of about an hour in the shop, I observed some very smart choices he has made about his business.

This may just be the design of the building Asbury Bark is in, but the shop has two entrances, one on each end. One opens onto the main walking street in town, and the other opening onto another heavily-traveled street on the next block. Being situated in a downtown area is fantastic, but allowing customers access from two streets is brilliant. Each entrance is decorated and clearly marked. While I was there, customers entered and exited through each (and made purchases!).

Despite a relatively small space, Modica makes the most of what he has and offers a little bit of everything from baked goods to gifts. The store is well-lit and laid out elegantly. Speaking of elegant, a gorgeous greyhound named Violet presides over the business from behind her doggie gate, peeking her delicate snout over the top to say hello to each customer, human and canine.

Modica stocks his inventory with the local demographics in mind, dedicating a section of wall to items with the diversity flag rainbow colors. To a large extent, Asbury Park’s recovery has been thanks to its burgeoning gay population. The display attracted a lot of attention during the time I was in the store.

Modica shares the enthusiasm he has developed for breeding and raising whippets with the clientele, with ribbons and photos of winning dogs on the wall near the register. I think this positions him as an expert in addition to being a boutique owner. He also took the time to speak with every customer who came into the store, which means people walk out with a great impression of the business.

It’s just this kind of enthusiasm that will help to bring Asbury Park back to its “Glory Days.” Business owners like Modica who put themselves wholeheartedly into their shops make people feel good about strolling the streets again.

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