How Two New York City Corporate Executives Decided Bainbridge Island was the Place to turn their Love of Dogs into a Business

It’s a Dog Day Afternoon* every day for Andrea and Brad Bernadt. The East Coast couple, who moved to bucolic Bainbridge Island in 2020, following hectic executive careers in New York City, own and operate the Bainbridge Island Dog Club, with two local outlets – one on Hildebrand Way and the other on Madrone Way, behind the umbrellas in Downtown Winslow.

How did a corporate lawyer (Brad) and an Apple stores manager for 17 years (Andrea) end up owning and operating shops devoted to doggy daycare, grooming and training?

“Dogs have always been a huge part of our lives, teaching us how to live in the moment, how to feel pure joy, and how to appreciate everything around us,” says Brad, behind a pulled down orange cap, with the store’s logo on front, a day or two stubble of beard and a puffy jacket, looking anything but the big time litigator he is. “They have also taught us the true meaning of heartbreak when it is time to say goodbye.”

The Bernadt’s have two Golden Retrievers – Bear and Moose – who serve as the Dog Club’s ambassadors of good will, ensuring that “all the pups (the stores serve) have a wonderful time.,” Brad gushes.

The idea to hatch the Dog Club took hold not long after the Bernadt’s moved to the island. “We were really unsatisfied as customers of (other) doggy day cares. … And we asked ourselves what we would like to see – something more interactive, perhaps. What could we do better?” Brad recalls he and his wife asking themselves.

The couple (Brad is still a practicing attorney and Andrea works primarily in the business) consulted with a number of dog and retail experts before officially opening their doors in the summer of 2023. Their main store at 931 Hildebrand Way has the look and feel of a well-stocked retail outlet. There are shelves and islands filled with dog treats, toys, pillows, collars, leashes, hats and shirts and just about any other dog accessory you can think of.

When potential customers, i.e., an owner with a dog in hand, walk through the door, Brad, Andrea or one of their staff members analyze the dog’s temperament. If they pass muster, they are automatically registered, and their dog leash is assigned a cubbyhole.

The Bernadt’s and their staff spend time with a dog and “try and understand their peculiarities,” Brad explains, noting that “expert trainers” are available to work with particular animals, at any time. “Our goal is to make it a happy experience for the dogs, sometimes doing so by putting them a little bit out of their comfort zones.”

Along those lines, BIDC Bainbridge Island Dog Club might put a small dog in an area with a big dog to see how they interact. “We’ve seen (positive) results from that experience,” Brad says, “dogs getting their confidence back.”

Of course, the Dog Club is not the only doggy daycare on Bainbridge Island. It competes on a number of levels with a smattering of other locations: Paws & Fins Pet Shop, Z Bones Pet Mercantile, BI Barkery, Aunty Mim’s Specialized Pet Care, and the Fluffy Ruff Dog Spa, along with any number of independent dog walkers and pet care people. But BIDC is the only outlet that appears to cater exclusively to dogs and their needs.

“We started with the premise, ‘if I’m a dog what would I want?’” says Brad, who in his litigation practice works almost exclusively with Liberty Mutual Insurance. However, he’s never met the famous Emu you see on their television commercials. Answering the question, what do dogs want? can be a bit tricky, but BIDC has tried to turnover every rock in the dog pound so to speak in order to do so, starting with doing a nose to tail inspection of each new dog. “We may find something that might be important for the owner,” such as infection or some unforeseen illness, Brad notes.

But that’s just the beginning. The store has an automated water filtration system, so dogs have access to fresh water at all times, sound-proof ceilings (“the panels deaden the sound, so the dogs are not as loud or barkey as they might otherwise be,” says Brad), and an innovative flooring system, made from a rubberized cement process that is both waterproof and easy on dog paws.

“The cushioning prevents injuries to joints,” Brad explains, and “the surface layer is friction resistant (providing) a good grip for dog paws.” Also on the premises are “potty patches,’ where dogs can conveniently relieve themselves, and an ultramodern heating and ventilation system that brings in “100 percent” fresh air every hour.

Besides the dog creature comforts, BIDC offers grooming, as well as doggie daycare, with packages beginning at $45 a day. The company also walks dogs, charging $19 for 20-minute walks, which includes scent packets that Brad says “energizes” a dog’s hunt drive. “Once they find it (a packet), they get a treat. We hide them along the route,” he says. “It fun for the dogs and fun for the humans,”

Combined, the two stores have 18 employees – including the owners – to handle their 24-7 schedules. Down the road, the Bernadt’s plan to add dog training classes and more special events to attract potential customers.

“It’s been a lot of work, but it’s a lot of fun,” says Brad. “We can’t wait to show you the thought and consideration we put into every detail to make this the best place possible for your pup.”

Check out a previous story in The Island Wanderer on The Dog Club: Bainbridge Island Dog Club: For the love of dogs! | THE ISLAND WANDERER

All Photos, except for Bear and Moose, by Kevin Dwyer … *Dog Day Afternoon is a reference to a classic movie by the same name in 1975 starring Al Pacino.

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