The Centralia City Council has made changes in its kennel ordinance to take the first step in clearing the way for use of the former Kaskaskia College Work Force Center as a dog day care center, spa and bar.
The project being proposed by Hannah Shores in the building at 325 South Poplar will now go before the Centralia Planning Commission for a special use permit in the downtown business district.
“It is a big building so the whole idea is that dogs need to socialize just like people do. We wanted to make this a very dog friendly place. Dogs are playing a big role in peoples lives so it’s pretty relevant now. There is going to be two separate businesses in the building. One is “Hair of the Dog” which is going to be an off-leash dog park with bar. And the “Barking Lot” is going to be a dog kennel with daycare, grooming and potentially training.”
Shores says the goal of the bar is to allow owners to socialize over a drink while their dogs play. She reports different types of boarding will be available in that part of the building.
“The Barking Lot will be indoor/outdoor dog play yards but dogs will be put back inside kennels at night or in private suits if they don’t do as well in a kennel.”
Shores currently has the building under contract to buy pending zoning permission for the business. She says the concept is not new, with similar businesses operating in the St. Louis area.
Centralia City Manager Scott Randall says their goal was to change the ordinance to allow this project to move forward but not open the door to similar projects on smaller lots and with closer residential development.
