A pet “boutique” has received tentative support from the Park Ridge City Council to open inside a former home accessories store in Uptown, while aldermen also approved another company’s office expansion nearby.
Aldermen on June 4 voted 6-0 in favor of a special-use permit for a “personal service” establishment to operate at 143 Vine Ave., the former location of Amphora Home Accents.
A final vote is scheduled for June 18.
According to an application filed with the city, the proposed business is described as an “upscale dog/cat boutique” that will include grooming services and a retail component.
“Overnight pet boarding will not be permitted,” the application said.
Jaclyn Guiffre, a representative of the business, said it will be called Tess & Woos Dog Boutique. This will be the boutique’s first location, she said.
Under the city’s zoning ordinance, businesses deemed to be “personal service establishments” require special approval from the Park Ridge Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council in order to operate inside a ground floor storefront within Uptown’s “core” sub-district.
The planning and zoning commission unanimously recommended City Council approval of the special-use permit when it met last month.
The City Council on June 4 also granted final approval for a special-use permit allowing Pusheen Corporation to operate an office on the first floor of 104 Main St., the former home of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.
Aldermen John Moran and Nicholas Milissis voted against the measure.
“The reason I’m having some heartburn with this is we don’t have a lot of prime retail spaces in the Uptown area,” Milissis said. “I’m afraid by granting this request we are kind of giving away something that can be prime retail.”
Fifth Ward Ald. Charlie Melidosian, who voted in support of the special use, said it is “harder and harder to fill those retail spaces” with retail businesses.
This will be Pusheen’s third office in Uptown. The company, which owns and licenses the popular Pusheen cat character and plush toy, operates an office above the 104 Main St. location and at 110 S. Prospect Ave.
During the planning and zoning commission’s April 24 meeting to consider the special-use request, City Planner Jon Branham noted that Pusheen Corporation collects sales tax on retail internet sales, with Park Ridge as the point of origin of the sales.
Andrew Duff, co-owner of Pusheen Corporation, told the City Council he currently does not plan to sell Pusheen products in a Park Ridge retail shop environment, though the items are sold in other stores.
“It doesn’t feel like it’s the right time,” he said, explaining that his company has been busy with the product licensing aspect of the business.
