LOGAN SQUARE — Wet noses and wagging tails highlighted a party held in Logan Square Saturday as veterinarian Dylan Frederickson welcomed the community to the grand opening of his new clinic at 2740 W. Armitage Ave.
Frederickson, who lives in Logan Square with his wife, Kelly, opened the Boulevard Veterinary, a full-service animal clinic, in January after years dreaming of opening his own practice and developing a unique, community-focused style to represent it.
"I've always had a love and respect for animals, and a desire to make their lives better," Frederickson said. "Combining that desire with my interest in science, and working with my hands, is what made it all initially appealing to me."
Dylan Frederickson poses with his wife, Kelly and dog Woody at the grand opening party of his new practice in Logan Square. DNAinfo/Jamie Lynn Ferguson
Frederickson grew up on his family's dairy farm in central Wisconsin and primarily worked with large animals in his early career. As the industry consolidated, and he said, some farms grew more "factory-like." Frederickson changed course and began working with cats and dogs.
That's what brought him to Chicago, where he worked in an emergency pet clinic for 6 years.
"The neat thing about pets is that they inspire us to think outside of ourselves," Frederickson says in a video on Boulevard's website. "They inspire compassion, they inspire a sense of nurturing, and they inspire laughter; all these things that we all need more of in our lives."
The Fredericksons have a few inspirational pets of their own: a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Woody, and a cat plucked from the family farm, Smoky-Panther, co-named by Frederickson's sister and niece.
Woody was one of the stars of Boulevard's March 28 party, along with several other Logan Square pets who donned props in a photo booth and went home with doggie gift bags.
Sameen Zia (l.) with her dog Zoe; Katie Vaughan and Steve Zontine enjoy Revolution brews at Logan Square's Boulevard Veterinary grand opening party March 28. DNAinfo/Jamie Lynn Ferguson
Local businesses Bang Bang Pie, Revolution Brewing, and La Strada Cafe Bar were the featured party refreshments, and The Salsa Truck food truck was parked out front.
A steady stream of patients, neighbors, friends and community members came out to explore the new digs and socialize Saturday the afternoon.
Frederickson said the attendance demonstrates why he's invested in and partial to Logan Square — because of its "strong sense of community, identity and pride."
To build the aesthetic feel of the practice, Frederickson kept it local with Chicago graphic designer Jack Muldowney and interior designer Danie Leatherman. Together, they created what Frederickson describes as "an old-timey neighborhood feel that's warm, welcoming and engaging."
It's the kind of environment, Frederickson said, that goes back to his core value of building relationships with pet owners, just like his family farm builds relationships with farmers.
Exam rooms at Boulevard Veterinary are named after Chicago neighborhoods Logan and Humboldt. DNAinfo/Jamie Lynn Ferguson
"It's been the neighborhood that's really resonated with me," he said "I love that you can go outside and you don't really feel like you're in a metropolis – it feels like a small town sometimes, you can go outside and breathe. You see the same people in the coffee shop that you might see at dinner that night."
Looking forward, Frederickson said he's in it for "the long haul."
"I have lived the value of building something slowly and thoughtfully," he said. "We're not here just to make a quick buck as a business owner. I'm going to be in the community and stay in the community."
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