(BHB/Sarah Portlock)
On May 16, the Tailored Pet will reopen at 89 Pineapple Walk — just look for it under its new name, Rocco and Jezebel.
The new shop comes after owner Serena Bellino died in December, and a longtime friend and employee Andrea Demetropoulos decided she wanted to continue Bellino’s legacy and keep the shop open. There was some initial concern it wouldn’t happen because of an issue with the will, but, last week, Demetropoulos signed a lease and will open her doors in two weeks.
She and her husband, John Marcolini, already run an online pet supply business, RoccoandJezebel.com, and opening the storefront allowed them to expand while also reconnecting with the community.
Demetropoulos said she has hired back the same groomer, Hiram, and William, who worked with Bellino for 15 years. The store will still have grooming and boarding facilities, food delivery, and will add dog walking and in-house cat sitting services and a discount senior citizen’s day.
“We’ll work with the community, especially in this economy,” she said. Customers can also opt to just have their pets’ nails trimmed instead of a full wash, for example.
So far, former customers have donated training pens and other supplies to the store, and to donate your own or to get more information, contact Demetropoulos at friendsofserena AT gmail.com or call (718) 855-8686.
On an interesting Brooklyn Heights history note, Demetropoulos shared this anecdote:
My husband, John Marcolini was brought up in Brooklyn Heights, [after] his family emigrated from Italy. Grandmother bought property especially the building in which Jack the Horse Restaurant is in back in the ’70s. It was called Marcolini Wines and Liquors. Now after all these years he’s come full circle owning a business in the same neighborhood.
