Recently one of my favorite Chicago neighborhoods welcomed a brand new small business to its bustling main stretch of wonderful shops and boutiques. Jameson Loves Danger was on my radar months before it opened its doors and as soon as it did, I met its fantastic owners J Horne and Gracie Whalen and was sold. Andersonville has lucked out.

Rover-Time loves community and volunteerism. And in the spirit of the holiday season, we wanted to share an organization that’s working hard to become a reality for Logan Square’s pet owners. Julia recently had the opportunity to interview one of Logan Square Dog Park’s executive team members, Chris Hewitt. Chris, in your opinion what constitutes a good, better, or even best …

Yuletide greetings! You know, the holidays can be a hectic time, but I thought I’d take a break from the hustle and bustle of downtown shoppers with visions of sugarplums dancing in their sleighs to cozy up in front of the fireplace with a glass of egg nog, my favorite chihuahua terrier, and the ol’ Mark’s Barks mail bag to …

Every year, over a million people in this country start a small business of some sort. Statistics tell us that by the end of the first year at least 40 percent of them will be out of business. As I sit to write my closeout post for Rover-Time’s first year, I’m full of gratitude for this …

With college football season well underway, we take a look at the NCAA teams (there are no NFL teams with dogs name for some reason) that will be drawing inspiration from dog-inspired mascots as they take the gridiron. Who’s hot? Who’s not? What’s a Hoya? Read on! 1.  Boston University Terriers- the rest of the NCAA should take …

Rover-Time loves, adores, worships Ruff Haus Pets. This Lincoln Square staple, is our local pet supply shop and its where we buy everything for Chauncey Billups Vanderhoff. And if you’ve ever used Rover-Time for boarding, I guarentee I spoiled your dog with treats from this great store. We love it and I greatly appreciate Ruff Haus’ …

People start businesses because they want to be happier at work. I knew that when I became my own boss, I’d finally have the creative freedom, autonomy, challenge, and meaning that I was craving. I saw my future self, working on my own terms, for something that I was excited about. But no matter the industry an entrepreneur …

I remember the last day I traveled into an office to work a normal job. I was a Development Manager for a small Montessori school, and while I enjoyed parts of my responsibilities, it was never going to be a good fit. Hours after leaving on my last day on the job, my mind drifted off to what …

Labor Day weekend marked the end of a busy summer here at Rover-Time. I flipped through our boarding calendar and counted over 50 guests that chose to spend their vacation with us in June, July, and August. These three months flew by for me (even though it was 21 dog months). Each day was busy with outdoor recreation …

Click It, Click It, Yeah That’s the Ticket I’ve decided to use this installment of Mark’s Barks to advocate for something that is beginning to make our lives easier, and that I think might help other pet owners. It’s almost moronically simple: training! As a rescue animal, Chauncey arrived to our home with his fair share of emotional/mental baggage …