Identifies as Black-owned
Yes
The Bark Shoppe in New York
Categories
Location on the map
New York, New York County, New York, US
From the business
Identifies as women-owned
Yes
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
No
Comments (199)
Have been taking my dogs to the Bark Shoppe for the past 2-3 years and did not really have an issue with them, in fact, thought they were relatively good. Lately, I have been very disappointed with their level of service. It’s become increasingly difficult to get an appointment- I waited 3 weeks for the most recent appointment, and they called to cancel the day of due to the groomer feeling unwell. I get it- things happen. We rescheduled, no problem. Apparently my dog’s vaccines had expired and they reached out to me via email and phone to update. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the messages - I saw the email but did not read it thoroughly, as I thought it was a simple confirmation. The day of the appointment they let me know we needed to update our vaccination records, of course I was annoyed having to move our appointment again, but I get it- we missed the notice. The part that has be completely turned off is that they refused to let this slide, and insisted on charging me a fee for having to reschedule. So it’s okay for them to cancel on me the day of but not okay for me to reschedule so I have ample time to get my dog’s vaccinations up to date? I even mentioned this to them and they refused to budge. I just think it’s extremely odd to not work with your customers. I don’t have a history of cancellations or no shows and have been a reliable and loyal customer for an extended period of time. I’m never using them again- I’m done.
I highly recommend the Bark Shoppe! I have been a customer with them for 5+ years and every time my little pup goes in for a haircut he comes back looking amazing and smelling great. My dog has been groomed by many of the groomers over the years and each one has listened to my instructions and provided a quality cut at a great price. In addition to grooming, the Bark Shoppe provides a multitude of additional services many of which I have taken advantage of over the years - I highly recommend the pup and fluff when in between groomings and the balancing barks tooth brushing :). Every amazing grooming is finished off with a cute bandana and a spray from one of their signature doggy body sprays - we love the sweet pea :) I have included a before and after from our last grooming as well as some great cuts from the past.
I have been taking my miniature schnauzer, Seven, to The Barke Shoppe for probably 5+ years - they are excellent. The service is great, the staff is friendly (Jeter is my fave) and they do an amazing job with the grooming. PLUS, it’s black owned. I don’t know what I would do without them!In short, if it ain’t The Barke Shoppe - I don’t want it!P.S. be sure to pick up one of the body sprays for your pup. They all smell great!
Thank you for taking such good care of my daughter. She looks beautiful and smells so good, I love it. Our Bella can be a handful to groom we have been told but she has groomed perfectly each time at Barkshoppe.
I have taken mine and my friend’s dog to The Bark Shoppe since 2020, but like many other reviews outline lately, 2022 has been a very negative experience and I won’t be returning.For one appointment, they insisted I send updated vaccination records when I had already provided them. A simple computer glitch, I thought, so I wrote it off.They also seemed to default to shaving the dogs, rather than doing a cut with scissors. On one occasion, they would ask what length I would want my double coated Australian Shepherd cut to pointing at a sampling of different shave lengths. I had to go out of my to make sure they knew and understood not to shave my double-coated dog because it would damage his coat. Though they followed this insistence, they pulled too hard on a tangle behind my dog’s ear and tore the skin, and I only found that after he got home. No explanation, no notice, and no apology.And yet I gave them another chance, because mats and tangles are difficult to deal with. Unfortunately this one broke the camel’s back (so to speak). They seem to have introduced a bunch of new agreements and waivers that include liability waivers. Given the prior experience with my dog, and the fact that I didn’t know about the waivers when booking the appointment (they’re not on the website, but provided as a Google Form through a QR code on checkin) I wanted to cancel the appointment, but they told me they would charge a cancellation fee to do so. They also then told me that despite booking the same Puff and Fluff I’ve booked before that a sanitary trim was no longer included and would cost extra. At that point, I made a scene and insisted on talking to a manager, but of course one wasn’t available. Though they did waive the charge for the sanitary, the only reason I didn’t cancel right then was that I booked with a debit card and wouldn’t have been able to dispute the cancellation fee. The bath they ended up doing was acceptable, but that doesnt erase this experience.What really has bothered me most is the inconsistency and lack of customer service. It’s fine if a policy has changed, but that needs to be communicated before someone prepays for a service. What’s more, the staff didnt seem to care about the poor communication when given feedback about what happened on any of these cases and I had to make a scene to get my dog the care and attention he deserved.I did want to at least bring these up to the owner, as I really value women owned and small businesses, but after staff told me after voicing concerns at my last appointment that she would be in touch, I never even got a call or email. And even if they did reach out at this point, there’s really nothing else to say except “You’ve lost my business.”
Amazing, amazing service! They went above and beyond to make my baby Zoey look beautiful! They took there time white her the groomer explained that she will have to cut her very low because her hair was really tangled, I expressed I did not want it so low she promised to take her time to save her hair so it’s not low and she did exactly that! I could not believe that was my dog they did a great job and groomed her so beautiful!! Not to mention the staff are so nice and friendly Jeter is so nice and informative his vibe is everything feel like I’ve him forever amazing place can’t wait to be back! I will make sure Jeter is there when I go back!
Finally a groomer in Manhattan that does a wonderful job at a reasonable rate and has good availability--within a week or two of calling. I had taken my 10-pound Havanese to several groomers in the UWS/Harlem zone and there were always hidden fees, sometimes brining the total experience to over $160. Worse, my dogs hair was always cut much too short (Havaneses have hair, not fur!). During the pandemic, I finally resorted to taking her to a groomer in NJ which was more reasonably priced but that never did as expert a job as the Bark Shoppe. The NJ cut was always choppy and uneven. My dog is generally uneasy around new people and environments, but she settled into the arms of the Bark Shoppe groomer and didnt try to wrestle herself away. He held her firm and stroked her with care, and that confident touch seemed to put her at easeI also appreciated the Bark Shoppes diligence about my dogs vaccination paperwork. The other places in Manhattan accepted my vets bill as proof of vaccination and the place in NJ didnt require any vax records at all. In addition to the vets tally of vaccines, the Bark Shoppe required that I provide the rabies certificate--which Id never heard of but that my vet said *should* be a standard request of all groomers. I trust that if the Bark Shoppe was so thorough with me, they are with other clients, which makes me feel better about having my dog around other pooches.
My dog has been to so many groomers and the Bark Shoppe is the only place that takes GREAT CARE OF HIM grooming and health wise. My yorkie can be a handful but the Bark Shoppe treats him so well. Jeter also notifies me when his shots are going to expire and scheduling is ALSO convenient.
I brought my poodle here. I showed them examples and asked a haircut as close as possible. Now, my dog looks like a mouse.I definitely do not recommend.
I love taking my toy poodle to The Bark Shoppe to get groomed. I love the fact that it is a black owned business, it is in my neighborhood and the employees have great customer service. They are also very patient with Harlem (he can be a fighter at times). I totally recommend bringing your dog to The Bark Shoppe to get groomed, especially if youre a first time dog owner like myself. Your dog will be in good hands !
The gentleman who took care of my dog did a very good job. I Recommend taking your dog to the bark, and they are very welcoming and the place is clean!
My poodle has never looked better!! Best haircut she’s ever had. Everyone working was so kind and down to Earth. Definitely going back!!!
I would never bring my puppy back to this place. I have a 4month Goldendoodle. Melody was the groomer. I filled out a questionnaire and she asked me twice what style I wanted for my puppy. I responded twice by saying teddy bear cut, between her paws, private area. Will call you 20min before to let you know she’s almost done. Two hours passed no call. I called to asking for update and they said that’s she’s a puppy and very distracting. I waited 3 hrs and 20 min. Luna was a mess. They gave her a poodle haircut, it’s uneven, hair was left between her paws and private area. It’s so upsetting. My puppy will not go there ever again.
I have been going here for years with no issues and have enjoyed the services of this company since it opened under a different name over 5 years ago. Now,2022 I will not be going back.This company has very Rigid and strict business practices out of now where, that Dont offer any flexibility or convenience to the clients. My dog needed a grooming which I was scheduled for and chargedFULL price prior to the grooming (which is NOT customary at most shops). At the appointment, I was told that my dog was not up to date with her records and that they would not be able to accommodate her. In the past, if this happen they would allow some flexibility, ie groom the dog and hold the owner accountable to having the records by the next visit. This is no longer the case, which I guess, FINE! I did my due diligence, got the shots (which took 3 weeks) all for the new scheduled appointment to be cancelled the morning of due to staff call outs.I am absolutely disgusted by the increase in operational practices that their clients expected to adhere to meanwhile, the company cant figure out a stronger system to manage their own internal practices. I have a TERRIBLE taste in my mouth and will be looking for another groomer in Harlem.
The administration and management of this groomer is subpar. No one tells you this is two separate businesses operating under one roof. The grooming website says they close at 6, Google maps says it closes at 6, all their literature says they close at 6. How should anyone know they close at 4, but the daycare which has the same name and the same address is a separate business that closes at 6.. I scheduled my dog for a 2:30pm groom. No one told me they close at 4. I dropped her off, no one told me they close at 4. They said they would call me when she was ready for me to pick her up. At 3:15 he called me to say she would be ready in 15 minutes. Only when I said okay I can be there a few minutes past 4 did he tell me they close at 4. If I wanted to be late, I would have to pay an admission and boarding fee to the separate business. He was completely rude about the entire thing. He said he was giving me 45 minutes to come get her and that’s enough. But really he was giving me 30, because she wasn’t ready yet. I was supposed to be on a meeting call for that 30 minutes. I asked him if he could talk to the other business and explain what happened and that I’d be there at 4:05. Long story short they would not. I canceled my meeting and picked her up at 3:55. I asked to speak to the owner, they said she would call me. She did not. I left a voicemail and sent an email. She didn’t call me. How can anyone know that they close at 4? They don’t care about customer service or bad reviews so might as well.By the way, they close at 4.Two stars and not 1 because she was clean and that was the point.Edit: their response below says they look forward to hearing from me. Well, they could have called me like I asked, responded to my voicemail, or responded to my email. Lip service. It’s unfortunate that you have to review a business poorly to get them to communicate. I waited 3 weeks before leaving a review and tried to communicate with them many times since. Lack of communication from start to finish caused me to leave this review. Grooming is a luxury service (for most breeds). This company treats clients like a nuisance. Going to 113th and Frederick Douglass now.
I’ve been bringing Mega to the Barke Shoppe for 2 years now. It’s always a pleasurable experience. I love how the groomers always come out to ask me exactly I want for my pup. And when I come back to get him, he’s always so happy and full of joy.Such a great loving place for your puppy.
They did an amazing job with my Snowy. She hadnt been groomed since October ( I had a personal groomer that came to my home, but she moved to Florida). I had been doing research but couldnt find a good reliable place. When I took Snowy to her drs check up, I asked if they knew of a good grooming place. They suggested the bark shoppe. I was worried cause shes only had one groomer. She was a little scared at first. When she was done with her glam day, she looked absolutely beautiful. Thank you to Lady T, I cant remember her name, you did an AMAZING JOB!!
I scheduled an appointment in advance, I selected “specialty breed” bath (the most expensive option) when I got there they said “oh we can’t bathed the dog because it’s coat is matted in certain parts specially around where the harness is… ummm I know, hence I’m here to get this taken care of by “professionals” I’ve never been refused a scheduled bath with such a lame/lazy argument… Why are they in this business if they don’t want to deal with the nuances of the services they are promoting and selling..? I don’t recommend this place another person got his bath/haircut canceled as well while I was there. It’s annoying bc you are counting on something legitimate and the reality is they are completely unreliable and unprofessional.
I brought Archie in for a trim today and I’m delighted with the outcome. As a poodle mix, it’s been challenging to find a place that’ll give him a nice cut and blow out at an affordable price — even better that I get to support a local black business. The staff was also especially lovely and kind. We’ll definitely be back again!
I came all the way from Brooklyn to Harlem to give my dog Comet his first hair cut in a year. I called and immediately got an appointment the next day. The shop is clean and the staff is very friendly and kind. Comet was kind of nervous and barking and they let him walk around the shop. Natalie did my dogs cut and he looked amazing, like a whole new dog I couldn’t believe it. I also had general questions about dog anxiety and the front staff person (sorry I didn’t get their name) was so helpful. Thanks again!!! I will definitely be coming back.
Ive been bringing my 8-year old dog, Marley, here since he was a puppy. I have enjoyed watching this Black-woman-owned business grow, flourish, and continue to provide quality service through the years. For those wondering, they are currently following all recommended COVID-19 protocols. You and your pet will be in good hands here! Ill leave this review in the order of the services Ive used:Grooming - They always do such a great job with Marley! They keep an active record of the blades used during previous visits. The groomer also provides consultation during drop-off. This attention to detail is VERY much appreciated.Boarding/Daycare - I was a nervous wreck the first time I considered boarding Marley. Melissa help eased my concerns by providing a walkthrough of the facility (which is clean and well-maintained). I love that they make a point to send pictures of your dog throughout the day. Marley enjoyed his stay so much, that I started dropping him off for daycare to socialize. Shoutout to Jeter who Marley always looks forward to spending time with!
Total reviews rating 4.3
199 Reviews for The Bark Shoppe 2023:
Review №1
2022-06-21Love this place! Left for a year since I moved, but had to come back because no other groomer would cut my pups the same locally. They greeted me, made small talk, and were super friendly. All three groomers came and gently took my pups in the most professional manner, even my most anxious dog (who’s very fidgety) calmly went with the groomer. You can tell they know what they’re doing! Definitely worth the trip! It’s also worth noting that while I was there a customer was being extremely rude and the staff handled it so well. Props to The Bark Shoppe!
Review №2
2021-12-14We had an excellent experience with the Bark Shoppe grooming our 1 year old pup. We initially had a 2pm appointment but they called us around 10am and told us we could come in earlier if we wanted. We did so and the groomer Mimi quickly and professionally assessed our pup.We knew he was quite matted from being coned during a surgery so we were aware he might need to be shaven quite close. Mimi confirmed this but let us know the decision was ultimately up to us. We told her to do what she had to do because we just wanted to get his matting out.Mimi blazed through his grooming in roughly 2-3 hours (much quicker than previous grooming at other places), removing all his matting and keeping as much of his floof as possible. The Bark Shoppe provided timely progress updates and put my mind to rest as an anxious pup parent. When I went to retrieve my pup, he was perfectly happy with no nicks anywhere. Seems like he had a great time with Mimi.Thanks so much to everyone at the Bark Shoppe! 😄
Review №3
2022-05-24Just had the best experience at the Bark Shoppe. I came in to ask a few questions and help my neighbor as she was looking for a good grooming studio for her fur baby. We both were so impressed with the service, the cleanliness of the studio and just how well they understood dogs. The receptionist was super nice and talked us through all the options, showed us a tour, and helped make sure we had everything needed for the 1st appointment. I would highly recommend The Bark Shoppe for any pet family.
Review №4
2022-03-17I took my dog(Milo) to the Bark Shoppe, as my usual groomer was out of the country until mid April. I decided to take a chance at a new groomer, since Milos hair was getting too long and affecting his ability to see well. I had my teenage son drop off Milo at 9/9:30 AM for his grooming appointment; my son informed me that there were concerns with matting and that there would be an additional charge of $65 for the additional time it would take the groomer to comb through the matting. I contacted the Bark Shoppe and requested to speak with the groomer for clarity on the additional fee, she explained that it would take her an additional 2-3 hrs (aside of the initial expected time frame of 2 hrs) to de-matt my dog and thats why the fee was being added to the initial charge of $95. However, we received a call for pickup within the initial time frame, which has me questioning what was the additional fee for?Additionally, I was never informed that my dog would be shaven down, which I wouldve appreciated the opportunity to make the decision on and wouldve definitely not consented to. To make matters worse, the shaved haircut was uneven and choppy and left my dog with his chest skin exposed, with an apparent error which cut through his hair exposing right down to the skin.From my previous experience with other groomers, when there have been matting, I was able to be provided with the styling results and look desired, and the groomer was able to remove the matted hairs and if there was ever an anticipation that I would be paying for an outcome other than the one I seek, a clear break down was always communicated to me before the groomer took the initiative to make the final decision on my pet.I am extremely disturbed by the service and poor communication received from the Bark Shoppe, as a first client I wouldve appreciated a better experience and not to be charged an additional fee for a service that I did not receive.
Review №5
2022-05-24I have been taking my dog here for a year and a half and have recently been having more issues which they unfortunately don’t tend to reconcile. At one of her first appointments there, they cut my dogs ear (my dog is really calm and small, so no idea how this happened) and I was really understanding about it, but they didn’t refund me anything or try to make it right in anyway. It resulted in an expensive vet appointment. I gave them another chance because they’re so conveniently located. I’ve tried to book specific groomers I trust online but who you get doesn’t seem to ever be in your control. And now this last time even when I had a groomer I’ve had before, mid appointment, they tried to call and text me to charge me additional to cut her nails - even though I’ve been booking the same service package with them since the beginning. They sent her back to me without her nails trimmed, saying all groomers were gone for the day. When I asked what happened, they told me their packages changed/ prices raised. Which i understand happens, but they could have explained this to me when I made the appointment or even when I dropped her off… the only thing they offered is if I paid more I could make another appointment the next day… just disappointed they don’t try to make things right when they go wrong
Review №6
2022-06-24Similar to some other recent reviewers, I have been taking my pups here for years, and had always had a good experience until they brought on a new manager at the beginning of 2022. Had several experiences with that manager in which he was unreasonable and unpleasant.I was very happy to get a call from the new manager today, who was both pleasant and very reasonable. She helped me resolve the minor issue I had, and explained to me that the old manager was no longer with the company.Given all that, I would definitely continue to recommend the Bark Shoppe for pup grooming.My only issue and why I give 4 stars instead of 5 is that the turnover with the groomers is kind of high. They all do an OK job, but I would have more peace of mind if I could book the same groomer for my pups every time.
Review №7
2022-04-21We have been taking our dog to The Bark Shoppe for several years because they make our dog look great, but the visits shes had in 2022 have been very negative.For one appointment earlier in the earlier in the year, we had to wait over two weeks to get an appointment, only to have the appointment cancelled that morning, with no apology or explanation about what happened. The earliest they could rebook us was two weeks later. No one seemed to care about the inconvenience (or the fact that our dog really needed a haircut).Additionally, front desk staff have been extremely rude to us. This included giving me a lecture on how to use the doorbell and rudely telling me I couldnt store my dog carrier there during my dogs appointment (even though wed been able to do that for several years prior). Its totally fine if the policy changed, but politeness goes a long way.Finally, today we were notified by a call at 4:43 that our dog was ready, but that they would close at 5pm. We live >20 minutes away, so then had to rush and get an uber to pick up our dog. We couldnt reach the business by phone and had no idea what was going to happen to our dog if the business was actually closed. The staff didnt seem to care about the poor communication when given feedback about what happened.Additionally, weve started being charged in full for the grooming appointment in advance, not just asked to provide a deposit like several years prior. This seems ridiculous and unnecessary--why do I have to pay in full for my dogs grooming appointment 2 weeks before it actually happens? Weve never canceled or no-showed an appointment and have been loyal customers for years.I would try and address these issues directly with someone from the business, but no one weve given feedback to thus far has seemed to care about the poor experience weve had. Anyway, Im really sad to see this business lose some of the great customer service wed come to expect over the years.
Review №8
2022-03-25Everyone I’ve interacted with at the Bark Shoppe has been incredibly kind! Their prices are affordable, they do an amazing job and my dog is never distressed or upset when I pick her up (as I have experienced at other places)
Review №9
2021-06-07Amazing, amazing service! Like most owners, my dog is my baby and I’m always so nervous handing him over. But the Barke Shoppe handled Simon with such great care and groomed him so beautifully. Not to mention, the staff is so lovely & friendly :) We will definitely be back!
Review №10
2021-10-26RUN, DONT WALK to The Bark Shoppe! I drive all the way from Brooklyn to get my pups groomed, because no one is better. Definitely make an appointment in advance, they are in demand, and prepare to be amazed by how gorgeous they make your pets.