It’s hard to believe but April is our 13th Anniversary here at Happy Dog Barkery. Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday when we were fixing up the store, thinking about how we will probably have to bake 2 days a week and that we sold no food when we opened because we wanted to concentrate on the gift side.
Well, we certainly have learned a lot and keep on learning. Luckily for us, a small business can adapt quickly to the needs to the customers in their local area. We are continually striving to create a fun, inviting, knowledgeable and trusting experience for you at Happy Dog Barkery. We want to THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts that you allow us to serve your pet’s needs.
Many people have asked how we got started and I’ve shared that story in the past but for this anniversary I wanted to share my inspiration. My father, William Staley, came to Chicago from Arkansas to attend trade school in Chicago to learn about tv repair. He remained in Chicago after meeting my mom and after working for a bit, opened his own business in the Clearing neighborhood of Chicago (near Midway airport). Clear View TV Sales & Service was part of my childhood. It was exciting for me when we took a trip to the store. I got to watch all the TV’s tuned to one channel in the showroom, I perused the picture tube aisles of inventory and was fascinated by the amount of different tubes. Sometimes I got to help at the desk, but was nervous when I had to talk to customers.
We never were rich in the physical sense, but we were provided for with a rich family life. My dad and mom made sure that while we couldn’t afford a Disney vacation, we still took a family vacation every year, visiting family in Arkansas and camping in Michigan are what I remember most. My parents instilled a sense of pride, faith and fairness in our lives. I remember the hard work and many hours my dad put in to keep his family provided for. He probably would have tried to talk my sister Cheryl and I out of starting this business, because he knew well the sacrifices that we would need to make in time, money and life in general. But in the end, he would be happy to see that we have been successful and happy that we followed our hearts.
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William in his showroom, selling RCA and Zenith TVs and radios.
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Clear View TV Rewards! This was a treasure to find in the photo album.
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Dad as a teenager in Sherwood, AR.
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A customer of Happy Dog, who grew up in Clearing and knew my dad, recently found this comb in a drawer and brought it in to us. It is at least 40 years old.
Both my parents have passed, they are missed my many. I am hopeful that one day I will meet with them again and they would now how much they meant to me. If your parents are still here, make sure you tell them how much they influenced your life. I wish I could tell them in person, but I believe that somehow they are keeping an eye on us.