The American Kennel Club (AKC), the world’s largest dog registry and leading industry authority and advocacy for dogs, today announced that it has signed a lease with The Durst Organization for a pet care facility. It will be in their new VIA 57WEST building, a beautiful, residential structure designed by Bjarke Ingles in one of New York’s most dynamic neighborhoods. The AKC signed a multi-year lease at the building.
This venture marks a new chapter for the AKC, as this is the first brick and mortar retail service the organization has opened in its 132-year history. The 4,000 square foot pet care facility, which will be an amenity to the building and open to the dog-owning public in the neighborhood, offers a premium one-stop pet care facility including daycare, boarding, training, grooming, and walking services.
“This is an exciting time for the AKC,” said Ron Menaker, Chairman of the Board of the AKC. “As we embark on this endeavor, we embrace a new way to serve dogs and their owners and to increase the continued trust and validity of our organization’s brand.”
In addition, the store will also sell the “finest dog products to owners,” an AKC representative told iHeartDogs. For the training, they are still putting together the teams and said they will have more information on it at a later day, though the goal, she said, is training using positive reinforcement methods.
Alexandra Aleskovsky, EVP and Chief Growth Officer of the AKC adds, “The pet care segment is a very exciting growth segment and it’s a great opportunity for AKC to leverage its credibility, expertise and history in dog care. We are looking forward to expanding to additional centers around the country.”
“We are thrilled to be working with AKC to bring a pet care facility to the WEST57 superblock,” said Jonathan (Jody) Durst, President of The Durst Organization. “We strive to provide our tenants with homes where they can live, work and thrive. Pet-friendly buildings are a significant amenity to our tenants. To also offer a pet care facility affiliated with an esteemed organization like the AKC brings another layer of service and convenience to our tenants on the WEST57 campus.”
For more updated information, check out the AKC’s website or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
