A Plea from Durty Harry's About Teens on Main Street

An Open Letter to the Good People of Charlestown,

It's been almost three years since I opened the doors of Durty Harry's on Main Street. In that time we have been so fortunate to meet absolutely amazing people, have our business events and fundraisers supported, be welcomed into the fabric of the community and really become a hub to all things dog related in Charlestown.

Durty Harry's has become more than I ever dreamed, continues to evolve and grow, and without the support of this community we wouldnt exist. We thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts.

But the purpose of this letter is not only a thank you, but a plea for help. A call-to-action if you will. In spite of all the good that has occured over the past nearly three years, we have had one consistent issue for which we can not seem to find a solution. It is the large group of teens that hang out in front of my store-front every, single day and it needs to be addressed and handled.  

My efforts have fallen more than short and so I come to the community and ask for help. I have tried multiple and various routes in hoping to solve the issue and yet, I still find myself asking these kids multiple times on a daily basis to "please step away from my door front during business hours."

I have had countless customers tell me that they simply will not come into my store when the group is out front. I have asked nicely, I have asked not so nicely, I have plead, I have ignored. I don't know what else to do and I am asking for community involvement and help.

This is not a character assasination, or a blanket statement about teens. It's black and white, I want my customers to be able to walk into Durty Harry's without feeling uncomfortable. And, walking through a crowd of any type is uncomfortbale for a lot of people, especially when they have a dog on their arm.  

I undertand that we are in a city, and with that comes certain uncontrollable elements. However, Charlestown is such an amazingly tight-knit family-centric community, that we're hoping by asking for some assistance, we may well find that so far elusive solution.

I remain open to ideas and will do what I can as a business owner to help quell the situation. I appreciate the time and consideration anyone gives this note and issue and I look forward to many more years of serving this outstanding community.

Best,

Michelle Fournier
Owner, Durty Harry's