By Tom Wothersppon
Reprinted with permission from Boca Raton Magazine

A dog’s life? We should all be so lucky. The way Karen Thompson Grossman caters to canines, pooches lead the life of Riley. In the Lap of Luxury with Karen, her new shop in Boca Raton’s posh Addison Place, Grossman carries ultrahighend merchandise for dogs and a few tidbits for cats, too.

Think Lifestyles of The Rich and Famous and Furry. Everything imaginable is here, displayed in individual designer boutiques à la Neiman Marcus. How much is that alligator doggie bag in the window? A cool $3,500. Other exquisite accessories include handmade cashmere sweaters with 18-karat gold accents, and pet carriers made from the same fine Italian leather used in Hermès goods. To keep price-conscious shoppers from hounding her, Grossman also was sure to offer less expensive items, such as squeaky toys, food bowls and pet treats.

“This is one of the world’s fastest growing industries,” says Grossman, who owned a similar store in Manhattan’s Upper East Side for 30 years. “I think it’s because dogs and cats have become such an important part of the family and give us unconditional love, which is impossible for people to do all the time.”

But if you think this chic shop only sells designer merchandise, you’re barking up the wrong tree. A high-tech grooming salon where dogs are primped and pampered like movie stars is tucked behind a curved green glass wall. Treatments run from moisturizing baths to vanilla-and-blueberry facial scrubs that remove tear stains to haircuts that can transform a dog from bow-wow to wow.

“All dogs, except maybe champions, have a fault,” explains Grossman, a veteran groomer who has beautified the pets of celebrities like Sir Paul McCartney, Mariah Carey and Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg. “Perhaps it’s a Yorkie whose ears appear too long for the breed, or a dog with an high arch in its back. My job is to cover the fault with a beautiful cut so the dog looks perfect.”

Grossman’s love of animals is obvious as she gently strokes one of her “babies,” five English-bred, longhair dachshunds, which roam freely and somewhat regally through her house. The decor reflects her admiration for them. Framed pictures of the quintet adorn the walls, and most rooms contain complementary furnishings for her pets. For instance, a custom doghouse made from a Louis XVI-style chair is tucked into the corner of the French-influenced dining room.

Unleashing her genius for detail, Grossman admittedly went over the top in designing her shop. “There’s simply nothing like it,” she gushes. “It’s as beautiful as any home could be for pets.”