Small paintings of pugs, Labradors and other breeds dot the pale green walls of the lobby at Pet Coral. The terracotta floors and soft dark brown leather couches welcome guests of both the two- and four-legged kind.
Pet Coral is a full-service veterinary clinic, boarding and day care facility that opened in late October on Del Prado Boulevard near Viscaya Parkway. The 30,000-square-foot facility features different fenced-in yards and a doggy water park with a pool.
“We’re trying to do all in one,” owner Lorena Rapoport said.
The center also offers grooming, as well as training courses and a retail area. Rapoport said she and her business partner, Dr. Baoz Rogan, have been planning the center for three years. She said business has been steady for the first few months.
“We’re getting clients every day,” Rapoport said. “We’re trying to be very competitive in prices with good quality care.”
The veterinary clinic houses a surgery center and offers dentistry services. Dr. Vicki Scott is one of the veterinarians in residence at the center. She’s been practicing in the Fort Myers area for 27 years and has made the move over the bridge. She said her previous clients are pleased with Pet Coral.
“They think it’s great,” Scott said. “What I heard is that they’ve never seen anything like it.”
Teresa Oliver, a Fort Myers resident, was there for the grand opening. She said she loves how she can go to one facility that houses so many options. Her three cats and most of her 11 dogs have visited Pet Coral.
“They’re very clean and they’re so nice,” Oliver said. “The animals love it.”
Scott said the facility is not just for canines. She’s also seen rabbits, ferrets and felines.
“So many clients have more than one species, so it makes sense,” she said.
Pet Coral also boards dogs and cats for short trips or extended stays. The center even has suites for dogs to live in the lap of luxury. Book your pets in the Royal Suite, $55 a night, and they’ll be spoiled with their own TV to watch, premium bedding and soft music.
Rapoport said the doggy day care program has also been popular with dog owners and the pets visit the water park three times a day during their stay.
“They love to come to the water park. It tires them out,” said Renee Temporale, an attendant.
The water park area features a bone-shaped pool where dogs can jump and play in the water. Temporale said that even the smaller dogs or ones who are a little uneasy around water like the play area.
Showing posts with label Business Profile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Business Profile. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Cafe true to French-Italian roots: Bistro in Vivo builds following in Cape
French tarts, apricot oreillettes and quiche are handcrafted at Bistro in Vivo in southeast Cape Coral.
The French-Italian coffee cafe opened in May at 4825 Milton St., near the Sweetbay store off Cape Coral Parkway.
Veronique Frelier co-owns the shop with her mother Canelle. They relocated to the area from France this past year.
"We came to be close to the sea," Frelier said.
A family tree on the wall of the eatery showcases the restaurants, pizzeria and other ventures the family has owned in France and Italy. Their first restaurant has been in the family for three generations. This is their first cafe venture.
Bistro in Vivo serves breakfast and lunch along with dinner on Fridays.
All the entrees have a French influence.
Quiches are filled with goat cheese and spinach or brie cheese and sausage.
French baguette sandwiches and paninis delight customers with names from regions of France and Italy. French specialities of crocque monsieurs and madames, crepes and a croissant au jambon can also be found on the menu.
Bo Kagan dined on a croque monsieur, a hot ham and cheese sandwich served with bechamel sauce, for lunch. He said the food is fantastic. She's done a great job bringing in authentic French food, Kagan said.
This is his second visit and he plans on coming back.
"(I'm) real eager to try the other things that they have," Kagan said.
Fridays feature special sunset pricing. For iced drinks and frappes it's 5 percent off the first drink, 10 percent off two drinks and 15 percent off three drinks.
Frelier said that even though she's seen a dip, her cafe opened to strong numbers.
"It's a low season," Frelier said. "It's true that July is slower than others."
She said she looked at other locations in Fort Myers and on Sanibel but ultimately chose the Cape.
"There is nothing like this in Cape Coral," Frelier said.
She said she likes the area because it's quiet, safe and the city wants to improve.
"They try to make it nicer and grow this city," Frelier said.
Hot pink hued walls and large windows give the cafe an inviting feel. French posters and images of the Eiffel Tower create an eclectic vibe.
Chyrsti Castillo said the colors drew her in to the cafe.
"The atmosphere is very intimate, not like anything we have here. A taste of Europe," Castillo said.
Frelier said in the winter the cafe will have longer hours. She also hopes to have special dining of French and Italian specialties on Friday and Sunday evenings during season.
The French-Italian coffee cafe opened in May at 4825 Milton St., near the Sweetbay store off Cape Coral Parkway.
Veronique Frelier co-owns the shop with her mother Canelle. They relocated to the area from France this past year.
"We came to be close to the sea," Frelier said.
A family tree on the wall of the eatery showcases the restaurants, pizzeria and other ventures the family has owned in France and Italy. Their first restaurant has been in the family for three generations. This is their first cafe venture.
Bistro in Vivo serves breakfast and lunch along with dinner on Fridays.
All the entrees have a French influence.
Quiches are filled with goat cheese and spinach or brie cheese and sausage.
French baguette sandwiches and paninis delight customers with names from regions of France and Italy. French specialities of crocque monsieurs and madames, crepes and a croissant au jambon can also be found on the menu.
Bo Kagan dined on a croque monsieur, a hot ham and cheese sandwich served with bechamel sauce, for lunch. He said the food is fantastic. She's done a great job bringing in authentic French food, Kagan said.
This is his second visit and he plans on coming back.
"(I'm) real eager to try the other things that they have," Kagan said.
Fridays feature special sunset pricing. For iced drinks and frappes it's 5 percent off the first drink, 10 percent off two drinks and 15 percent off three drinks.
Frelier said that even though she's seen a dip, her cafe opened to strong numbers.
"It's a low season," Frelier said. "It's true that July is slower than others."
She said she looked at other locations in Fort Myers and on Sanibel but ultimately chose the Cape.
"There is nothing like this in Cape Coral," Frelier said.
She said she likes the area because it's quiet, safe and the city wants to improve.
"They try to make it nicer and grow this city," Frelier said.
Hot pink hued walls and large windows give the cafe an inviting feel. French posters and images of the Eiffel Tower create an eclectic vibe.
Chyrsti Castillo said the colors drew her in to the cafe.
"The atmosphere is very intimate, not like anything we have here. A taste of Europe," Castillo said.
Frelier said in the winter the cafe will have longer hours. She also hopes to have special dining of French and Italian specialties on Friday and Sunday evenings during season.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Find unique gifts, art at Coastal Elements
Coastal Elements is a new store in the Resort at Marina Village in Tarpon Point Marina that offers unique gifts.
The southwest Cape store, which opened Feb. 19, prides itself on being an eclectic gift shop with artisan housewares and jewelry.
Business has been sporadic so far, but people are starting to notice, said owner Victoria Wilenski.
"The gift selection is good and her prices are reasonable," said Ron Gilmore, a Cape resident. He added that Wilenski is very knowledgeable about jewelry and decorating.
Coastal Elements specializes in hand-carved wood statues from Indonesia, hand blown glass, as well as art pieces from Cape Coral artists. The store also sells a variety of pearl, mother of pearl and Murano jewelry. Agraria candles and other specialty items can also be found in the shop.
"I bought a blown glass heart for a friend of mine and it was favorably received," Gilmore said.
Wilenski, who said she loves every item in the store, wanted to fill the place with items she would like to purchase.
"(What) I really like is the talent of the artists," Wilenski said.
The wood statues are art pieces. The artists use only traditional hand tools to complete their sculptures.
For those looking for a unique gift, buy an oyster. Customers can crack open an oyster to find their own Akoya wish pearl. The oyster, along with a silver necklace and holder charm, is $34.99.
Wilenski hopes to have an oyster shucking station in the store soon so customers can find their pearls on-site.
"A lot of people have fun with the pearls," she said. "They like the experience."
Wilenski has been in the retail industry for 12 years, working for a home improvement store, but this is her first time having a shop of her own.
"I wanted to be my own boss," she said.
Wilenski has big plans for growth and expansion. In addition to the oyster station, she hopes to add new products. Plush animals and creating her own blown glass are high on her list.
The shop is mainly visited by those staying at hotels and other tourists, but Wilenski hopes that will soon change.
"Hopefully the locals will support us here," she said. "It's nice and peaceful right here and if you want to get out of the regular Cape Coral crowd, this is the place to be."
The southwest Cape store, which opened Feb. 19, prides itself on being an eclectic gift shop with artisan housewares and jewelry.
Business has been sporadic so far, but people are starting to notice, said owner Victoria Wilenski.
"The gift selection is good and her prices are reasonable," said Ron Gilmore, a Cape resident. He added that Wilenski is very knowledgeable about jewelry and decorating.
Coastal Elements specializes in hand-carved wood statues from Indonesia, hand blown glass, as well as art pieces from Cape Coral artists. The store also sells a variety of pearl, mother of pearl and Murano jewelry. Agraria candles and other specialty items can also be found in the shop.
"I bought a blown glass heart for a friend of mine and it was favorably received," Gilmore said.
Wilenski, who said she loves every item in the store, wanted to fill the place with items she would like to purchase.
"(What) I really like is the talent of the artists," Wilenski said.
The wood statues are art pieces. The artists use only traditional hand tools to complete their sculptures.
For those looking for a unique gift, buy an oyster. Customers can crack open an oyster to find their own Akoya wish pearl. The oyster, along with a silver necklace and holder charm, is $34.99.
Wilenski hopes to have an oyster shucking station in the store soon so customers can find their pearls on-site.
"A lot of people have fun with the pearls," she said. "They like the experience."
Wilenski has been in the retail industry for 12 years, working for a home improvement store, but this is her first time having a shop of her own.
"I wanted to be my own boss," she said.
Wilenski has big plans for growth and expansion. In addition to the oyster station, she hopes to add new products. Plush animals and creating her own blown glass are high on her list.
The shop is mainly visited by those staying at hotels and other tourists, but Wilenski hopes that will soon change.
"Hopefully the locals will support us here," she said. "It's nice and peaceful right here and if you want to get out of the regular Cape Coral crowd, this is the place to be."
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Islands Yogurt Opens Up on Del Prado
Islands Yogurt is serving up healthy treats in a laid-back atmosphere.
The self-serve frozen yogurt shop opened less than two weeks ago on Del Prado Boulevard in southeast Cape Coral, just north of the Walmart.
"People are flowing into the store," said Bree-Ann Compos, co-owner. "I've even had some customers that have come in twice in a day."
Compos owns the shop with her fiance, Benjamin Waller. The couple recently relocated to Cape Coral from San Diego, Calif. This is a new venture for them - Compos worked in the medical field and Waller was in construction before opening the shop.
Islands Yogurt is having a soft opening and many customers are coming in because of word-of-mouth.
Compos wanted to open a self-serve yogurt shop for years but California was too expensive. The couple started to look in Florida to find a great place to relocate.
"I fell in love with Cape Coral," Compos said. "I love all the canals and all the water."
The Cape seems to be loving her back. Compos said sales have grown every day since the store opened June 24.
"I've been waiting for one to come to the Cape," said resident Taylor Simms. "It's delicious."
The shop offers 10 non-fat or low-fat flavors that rotate weekly on five yogurt machines, some flavors featured now are red velvet cupcake, old fashioned peanut butter, tropical sorbet and no-sugar-added tahitian vanilla. Islands Yogurt makes sure one machine always has a non-dairy sorbet in order to give customers options.
"I think the community would welcome something new and health conscious," Compos said.
The shop also carries more than 40 toppings ranging from candy and gummies to fresh fruit and marshmallow topping.
Customers pay 45 cents an ounce for their frozen yogurt creation and the average treat costs around $3.
"When I heard this place opened here, I got really excited," said Virginia Wolf, a Cape Coral resident. "It's a healthy treat."
The new spin on frozen yogurt began in 2005 with the opening of Pinkberry in California. Now the self-serve frozen yogurt trend has hit Southwest Florida. Coconut Point and Gulf Coast Town Center already have self-serve shops. Islands Yogurt is the only such shop in the Cape.
"(We're) with the wave," Compos said.
Islands Yogurt was expected to open much sooner, but was delayed because of construction issues.
"It was really hard on us," Compos said. "This is our money, our heart, our soul."
Islands Yogurt is hoping to be an interactive eatery. Customers can suggest flavors and toppings to the owners and it's active on Facebook.
Compos said that many of her new customers came in because of Facebook. Customers can "friend" the yogurt shop and see special deals and new flavors directly in their news-feed. The shop also sends out text alerts when the flavors are about to change.
"It's been a gamble," Compos said. "I only hope that it keeps getting better."
The self-serve frozen yogurt shop opened less than two weeks ago on Del Prado Boulevard in southeast Cape Coral, just north of the Walmart.
"People are flowing into the store," said Bree-Ann Compos, co-owner. "I've even had some customers that have come in twice in a day."
Compos owns the shop with her fiance, Benjamin Waller. The couple recently relocated to Cape Coral from San Diego, Calif. This is a new venture for them - Compos worked in the medical field and Waller was in construction before opening the shop.
Islands Yogurt is having a soft opening and many customers are coming in because of word-of-mouth.
Compos wanted to open a self-serve yogurt shop for years but California was too expensive. The couple started to look in Florida to find a great place to relocate.
"I fell in love with Cape Coral," Compos said. "I love all the canals and all the water."
The Cape seems to be loving her back. Compos said sales have grown every day since the store opened June 24.
"I've been waiting for one to come to the Cape," said resident Taylor Simms. "It's delicious."
The shop offers 10 non-fat or low-fat flavors that rotate weekly on five yogurt machines, some flavors featured now are red velvet cupcake, old fashioned peanut butter, tropical sorbet and no-sugar-added tahitian vanilla. Islands Yogurt makes sure one machine always has a non-dairy sorbet in order to give customers options.
"I think the community would welcome something new and health conscious," Compos said.
The shop also carries more than 40 toppings ranging from candy and gummies to fresh fruit and marshmallow topping.
Customers pay 45 cents an ounce for their frozen yogurt creation and the average treat costs around $3.
"When I heard this place opened here, I got really excited," said Virginia Wolf, a Cape Coral resident. "It's a healthy treat."
The new spin on frozen yogurt began in 2005 with the opening of Pinkberry in California. Now the self-serve frozen yogurt trend has hit Southwest Florida. Coconut Point and Gulf Coast Town Center already have self-serve shops. Islands Yogurt is the only such shop in the Cape.
"(We're) with the wave," Compos said.
Islands Yogurt was expected to open much sooner, but was delayed because of construction issues.
"It was really hard on us," Compos said. "This is our money, our heart, our soul."
Islands Yogurt is hoping to be an interactive eatery. Customers can suggest flavors and toppings to the owners and it's active on Facebook.
Compos said that many of her new customers came in because of Facebook. Customers can "friend" the yogurt shop and see special deals and new flavors directly in their news-feed. The shop also sends out text alerts when the flavors are about to change.
"It's been a gamble," Compos said. "I only hope that it keeps getting better."
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