Shop Dogs of the Short North

You see them at every turn: Logan, the black & white spotted German pointer at pm gallery; Sam, the uniquely blended Dalmatian + Harlequin Great Dane at Cookware Sorcerer; Rocky the three-legged Maltese and Hudson the Morky (Maltese / Yorki mix) at Rowe fashion boutique; and the list goes on. They are the Shop Dogs of the Short North, and they are as unique and varied as the shops they inhabit.
They may get up and greet you at the door. They may snooze behind the counter. They may sit in the front window and watch passersby. But if you’re a regular to the district, you know them by name and you seek them out.

Shop Dogs are symbolic of the unique spirit of the Short North. Bohemian. Individual. Family. In a nutshell, they speak to the essence of what makes the District so different from mega-malls and other more “structured” concepts … the Short North thrives on the freedom to create the experience each business owner desires. Unique, one-of-a-kind experiences that encompass the ambiance, the service, the products offered and even the staff on hand!

Meet the Shop Dogs of the Short North in a special series spotlighting a couple pups a day.

This Easter, we’re inviting our friends to bring their four-legged companions down for a bit of fun.

Short North Easter “Beg” Hunt

Saturday, April 11, 2009 from Noon - 4:00PM

Step 1: Register In Advance

Deadline is Friday, April 10, 5:00PM
Contact Three Dog Bakery • Phone: 614.221.3647 • Email: threedog@threedogcolumbus.com

Please provide the following information:
Your name • Your pet’s name • Type of pet (cat or dog) • Your ZIP code

Step 2: Start Your Journey

Check in at Three Dog Bakery (611 N. High Street)
When you check in you will be automatically registered for the
Easter “Beg” Hunt Grand Prize valued at $150 - $200
Pick up your Easter “Beg” Hunt map of stops
Pets are encouraged to bring their own special Easter basket,
but we will also provide bags decorated by the first grade students
of Gables Elementary School.

Step 3: Have Fun Touring the District

Using your map, trek out through the district and collect Easter eggs filled with all natural treats. There will be approximately a dozen stops.

Step 4: Win Cool Prizes

Check your Easter eggs for special prizes from from our great partners, including:

Three Dog Bakery, Posh Pets, Mahan Gallery, Rowe, pm gallery, The Lamp Shade, Rose Bredl, Cookware Sorcerer (via Sherrie Gallerie), Huntington Bank, Loot, Baker’s Acres Concrete Jungle, Milk Bar, ROWE, Starbucks, Huntington Bank, Yoga On High, Marcella’s, and Cup O’ Joe.

Look for some of our Shop Dog buddies along the way…

Torso - Scott Rousku
Names: Gigi and Louie
Breeds: Gigi is a Bichon Frise. Louie is a Cotton de Tulear.

Take 2 Apparel -Charlie Gray/ Hallie Gorman
Names: Brooklyn/Bennigan
Breeds: Brooklyn is a Corgi. Ben is…something else; he’s a Schnauzer/Border/Terrier Mix.

Three Dog Bakery - Susan and Doug Oilar
Names: Sadie and Solomon
Breed: They’re both Great Danes.

ARMS Properties - Rajesh Lahoti
Names: Scout and CJ
Breeds: Miniature American Eskimo and Lab/Collie Mix

Segway - Jared Cavileer
Name: Bogart Tiberius Cavileer
Breed: Newfoundland

Tigertree - Josh and Niki Cagle
Names: Rufus and June
Breeds: The rescue told us Rufus was a Schnauzer/Poodle Mix, but then we got June, who we know is a Schnauzer/Poodle Mix, and we’ve decided that Rufus is definitely not that.

ROWE - Maren Roth
Names: Rocky Wisco Roth and Hudson Roth
Breeds: Rocky is a Maltese. Hudson is a Morki (Maltese/Yorkie Mix)

Cookware Sorcerer - Nancy Haitz
Name: Sam
Breed: Dalmatian/Harlequin Great Dane

Collier West - Suzi West
Name: Tchotcke, pronounced Chotch-chkey
Breed: Toy Schnoodle (Schnauzer/Poodle Mix)

pm gallery - Maria Galloway
Name: Logan Galloway
Breed: We call him a German Shorthair Pointer Mix.

Short North Business Association - John Angelo
Name: Puck
Breed: Australian Sheppard/Golden Retriever Mix

Rose Bredl - Mary Ernst McColgan
Name: Savannah
Breed: Black Lab/German Sheppard Mix

Rigsby’s Kitchen (Office) - Kent and Tasi Rigsby
Names: LuLu and Mick Jagger
Breeds: Lu is a Standard Poodle, and Mick is a Miniature Poodle

Sevell + Sevell - Amanda Badgley and Steve and Beverly Sevell
Names: Bella and Cassius
Breeds: Bella is a Yellow English Labrador. Cassius is an All-American Solid Gold Dog.

For years, the Short North has been heralded for its art, culinary and entertainment offerings… all steeped in a healthy appreciation of independence. Over the last few years, however, the Short North has been quickly building a strong reputation on a different front, fashion.

It seems there have always been fashion offerings in the district (Columbus Barber and Beauty began in 1936, Byzantium is fast approaching their 25th anniversary, Loot just crossed the 20-year mark, and Torso and The Garden are celebrating 10 years of success). The Bohemian spirit and artistic flair of the Short North nurture the expressive nature of fashion… and the adventure of defining personal style.

In the last few years, however, fashion has really begun to make a visible impact on the Short North mix. Today, scores of boutiques pepper the strip. On the clothing side, the list now includes Rowe, {Milk Bar}, Paradise Garage, G&Co, Loot, Substance, Emperor’s Newest Clothes, Flower Child, Torso, Tiger Tree, Lady Bird, Saavy On a Shoestring, Measure of a Man, Take 2 Apparel, American Apparel, Lululemon and Jinny. The roster has become synonymous with the Columbus fashion scene. Keeping pace with the clothing, a formidable ensemble of accessories, cosmetics, beauty care and salon businesses has also developed, including: Byzantium, Collier West, Columbus Eyeworks, Image Optical, Global Gallery, Max the Salon, Waldo’s On High, Lai Boom, Phia Salon, Mukha Custom Cosmetics & Medi-spa, Luxe de Vie and Columbus Barber & Beauty.

That’s nearly 30 fashion destinations, and I’m sure I’m missing a few. It seems new boutiques are opening monthly… next on the block is “Go Figure” at the old CounterCulture space.

The Short North’s stature as a fashion destination made headlines nationally not too long ago in the New York Times Style Magazine. Headline: “Columbus Cool” The article spotlighted a host of the District’s boutiques and touted Columbus as the new “Style Capital” of the Midwest. In the latest issue of Columbus Monthly, Short North fashion takes up a full 7-pages in “Shop Talk: Spring Fashion 2009.” The article features shop owners modeling their own fashions and sharing tips on current fashion trends. Jin Fillinger (Jinny), Cindy Zafar and Goutam Biswas (G&Co.), Christina Getachew (Substance), Michelle Woljevach (The Emperor’s Newest Clothes) and Maren Roth (Rowe) are spotlighted.

If you haven’t been in the Short North for a while, or haven’t taken a stroll from end to end, you might be surprised by the changes. You might also be surprised how well the fashion scene fits you.

Morgan has put together a bit of an overview of the boutiques with a spring fashion series of her own which is now posted on shortnorth.org. You can take a peek with a click. Enjoy.