Longstanding Businesses Get a New Home Under One Roof

The owner and her helpers say they found a "wow factor" at 52 Atlantic Ave. where they merged two businesses under one roof. 

Looking around Creature Comforts pet care and Pawsitively Marblehead pet boutique you see the wow factor they speak of — and more — the "bow-wow factor."

Front and center is the pet boutique, set in a bright open space. It's visible from the street through broad high windows decorated with blue dogs.

In a store where women once eyed scarves, sweaters and jewelry — Irresistibles —  now customers cruise among displays, cases and shelves of pet accessories and goods.

Brooks Williams' stores opened on Jan. 1. Formerly they were located at two places, 9 Pleasant St. and 63 Atlantic Ave.

Pawsitively manager Beth Ferris says the new location offers more lines of collars, leashes, bowls, chew toys and doggie bakery goods, as well as novelty items.

They offer more exclusive brands made in the United States, some of them made nearby including Preston collars from Ipswich.

One table displays dog duvets. They are ornamental covers.

Into them you stuff your old clothes or other belongings, giving your dog or cat a sense of you and home when they nestle atop the duvet.

The duvets range in price from $30 to $40.

Leashes start at $20, and go up to $100. Chew toys range from $5 to $30.

The store also is home to Creature Comforts, a dog-care service that offers dog-walking, doggie daycare and transportation to and from the vets, said Creature Comforts manager Susie Leahy.

Susie and Beth have been Brooks' right- and left-hand women the past seven to eight years.

Brooks opened her first business, Creature Comforts, 20 years ago; and then added her retail store, Pawsitively Marblehead, 12 years ago.

Merging the two businesses at one spot serves the customers. The businesses dovetail. A customer looking for a collar might also seek doggie care. And it works the other way, as well.

Pawsitively Marblehead also offers a cat section, with toys, cat nip and shirts for the people who love their cats.

The mascot, however, is a dog, and his name is Rusty.

Brooks brought Rusty from her old location at 63 Atlantic Ave, where he stood guard outside.

He was an icon, a metal sculpture with a hollowed dog bone in his belly.

Brooks has brought Rusty out of the cold and he stands inside the new store by one a far window.


Creature Comforts
781 639-0449
services@ccpaws.com

Pawsitively Marblehead
781 990-0081
boutique@ccpaws.com