A tail-wagging hotel 'Stay'
Pioneerpress.com/newsstar
January 24, 2007
By Sandy Thorn Clark |
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If wagging tails are any indicatation of canine elation Bonnie, Zelda, Molly, Savannah, Buster and Sonya are thrilled that Michael Heltzer gave up his passion for expensive boats and modern furniture design to create a business that's pleasing pooches across Chicago.
Six weeks ago, Heltzer opened Stay, Chicago's newest dog hotel at 4130 N. Rockwell St. in Ravenswood on the banks of a tributary the Chicago River.
His own dog, 130-pound Ruby, an affable St. Bernard mix, isn't quite as excited at the prospect of sharing her owner with the four-legged clients who frequent Heltzer's aesthetically-appealing hotel that offers everything from plush suites with Web-cams, nature walks and grooming to a resistance swimming pool for life vest-wearing dogs in need of therapy, low-impact exercise or just plain fun.
"It's been a little harder adjustment for you, hasn't it, Ruby?" Heltzer asks as he reaches through the fence securing one side of the 12,000-square-foot second floor exercise area where Ruby has distanced herself from 11 other cavorting canines to get to the fence in front of Heltzer. Amused, he responds with the reward Ruby craves: individual attention, a pat of her nose, and the essential "Good, Ruby!"
A lawyer by training, Heltzer, 46, is a 20-year veteran of the furniture industry. He began furniture manufacturing in 1986, and sold Heltzer Inc. to Dallas-based Sutherland Inc. last spring. In spite of the fact that he owns a downtown boatyard called Goose Island and is the father of four, Heltzer decided to devote his 'free time' to another of his personal passion: his seven dogs. The motorcycle enthusiast and collector has been a dog owner for 30 years.
Rather than sell the Heltzer factory, which had been his original boatyard (and still houses 40 mammoth boats during the off-season), he decided to transform his furniture factory into a state-of-the-art dog hotel that can accommodate 110 guests rather than sell it for condominium conversion.
"It was just a perfect site for the concept," states Heltzer of the 40,000-square-feet facility at 4130 N. Rockwell St. adjacent to dog-friendly Horner Park. He asked Chicago-based McBride and Kelley Architects, who had transformed his original boatyard into a furniture factory, to renovate with stainless steel, slate floors, and plate glass windows to take advantage of sunlight and views of nature.
Stay is decorated with Japanese paper art and framed Keith Carter black-and-white photographs of dogs. Aroma therapy helps negate unpleasant animal smells, and noise is controlled through soothing music and acoustic wall paneling covered in William Wegman-inspired tapestries with a dog motif. A retail boutique sells items such as neoprene leashes, neon-illuminated safety coats, and dog toys.
Dogs sleep in top-of-the-line Mason kennels for $40 per night; in deluxe 6-by-8-feet rooms with tempered glass fronts and a view of nature for $50 per night; and in 160-square-foot suites with Web-cam visibility for owners, platform beds, toy chests and fish tanks for $75 per night. Daycare is $25 a day per dog, with a 20-day pass at $400. A one-on-one nature walk with a trained staff person is $20 for 30 minutes. Grooming is $55 and up; a bath, $35 and up; teeth brushing, $12; and nail clipping, $10.
Heltzer, who grew up in Highland Park, confesses fulfillment was the enticement of founding a dog hotel.
"I liked the care-giving component," he relates, "but I probably didn't realize just how much the standard is raised when you suddenly become responsible for someone else's pet. Already, I have had many restless nights. I just can't understate the burden of responsibility of caring for other people's beloved pets day and night. Elizabeth, my wife, said to me, 'Great! Not only are we worried about our kids and our dogs, but now we're worried about 30 or 40 other dogs!' It's true. There will never be a day without worry."
"Daily, I give what I call a Peanut Award to the dog that I really connect with," explains Heltzer. "Today, the winner would be Savannah. One night, I came back and I had the most wonderful hour imaginable with Sonya, another dog, who is quiet and usually doesn't demand attention. She and I really connected. I said, 'The owner of this dog is truly blessed.' Each dog has a distinct personality and needs, but I've never met a dog half as quirky as mine."
Heltzer has assembled a staff of canine care professionals (all Pet CPR First-Aid Certified through the American Red Cross) to exercise, groom, and care for the pooches. Dr. Barbara Royal, who operates Royal Treatment Veterinary Spa, 1500 N. Wells St., and specializes in alternative care including acupuncture, herbal medicine and physical therapy, and Brandi Barker, owner of Barker Behavior Inc. and a North Side canine behavior and training consultant who has trained more than 800 dogs, will collaborate with Stay.
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Michael Heltzer, owner of Stay,
Chicago's newest dog hotel at 4130
N. Rockwell St., enjoys the swimming
pool with his dog, Ranger. |
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