Owner Hopes to Keep Doggie Daycare Business in Rose Hill

When Martha Day opened Sonny’s Place in 2018, she was looking for a new purpose in her life after retirement. Her Irish Setter pup, Sonny Boy, had just begun attending Doggie Daycare at Poochie Playhouse, which was shutting down after operating for 12 years in Rose Hill Plaza.

“I decided what could be more fulfilling than providing a loving safe place for Sonny to play with other dogs in the community,” Martha says.

Since then, Martha has provided what she likes to call “your pets favorite home away from home” for nearly 2,000 customers.

”Sonny’s Place provides wonderful daycare, professional grooming and the only cage-free boarding in the area,” Martha says. “Dogs are given two walks a day, socialized with other dogs of like size and guaranteed to be tired when picked up by their owners at the end of the day.”

Now, because of health issues, Martha is attempting to sell the business and is negotiating with several prospective buyers. The process is complicated by the fact that the owner of the shopping center, Combined Properties, has proposed razing the center and replacing it with as many as 400 apartments and cutting as much as 70% of space for retail stores.

“Like all the shops in Rose Hill Plaza, the question of whether they will be around after 2027 is very real,” Martha says. “Sonny’s is a very important and valuable business for this community.”

“Through the years we have experienced highs and lows. The challenges have been many, from constant turnover among dog groomers, the Covid-19 shutdown, and dog flu and cat rabies cases. We survived them all thanks to the love and support of wonderful people in the community and the understanding and support of the landlord.”

Martha says her hope is that Sonny’s will continue to serve pet owners in Rose Hill for years to come. “The foundation,” she notes, “has been laid.”