Bark N Park a dream come true for Singleton

By ALEX MALM
Posted 9/30/21

When 2001 Cranston East graduate Kioana Singleton was living in Sumter South Carolina she had a dream of owning her own mobile dog grooming business one day.

On Aug. 1 that dream became a …

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Bark N Park a dream come true for Singleton

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When 2001 Cranston East graduate Kioana Singleton was living in Sumter South Carolina she had a dream of owning her own mobile dog grooming business one day.

On Aug. 1 that dream became a reality when she opened her business Bark N Park in Rhode Island. According to Singleton she is the only Black mobile groomer in the state.

Singleton said that she has always had a passion for animals. When she was 13 her mother adopted a fox terrain mix, named Chi-Chi, from the Providence Animal Shelter.

“I knew from that point on I wanted to work with animals when I got older,” she said.

Singleton began her career working with animals as a veterinary technician at a veterinarian office.

“This is where I met the women who would change my life and set off a series of events that would help shape the course of my career,” said Singleton. “Meeting Danielle (Stewart) showed me that there is room for strong, creative African American women in this field.”

The office also offered grooming services.

“When I wasn’t working with the doctor, I was always in the grooming room, learning and watching. After three years as a vet technician, I knew that wasn’t something I wanted to do forever,” Singleton said.

After working at the veterinarian office she went to work at a PetSmart as a bather for three months, before she enrolled in grooming school.

In 2016 she realized that she wanted to purchase a mobile grooming bus. By 2018 she was able to achieve that goal.

“With a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, Bark N Park construction was started in 2020 in the middle of a pandemic,” Singleton said.

She said that she wanted to be able to own a mobile grooming business rather than a traditional brick and mortar one in order to help more pets get groomed.

“I wanted to be able to see more of this beautiful state of Rhode Island and I wanted to reach the people that didn’t have the means or opportunities to come to me,” she said. Here at Bark n Park Mobile Grooming I wanted to make sure every dog can be groomed.”

Singleton said that her favorite part about being a groomer is “the ability to make a pet feel and look good.”

“Seeing the joy on owners' faces when I have made their baby beautiful is an amazing feeling too. With my years of experience I have been able to point out health issues that pet parents miss,” she said.

Since opening Singleton said that she has had positive reactions to her business.  

“They love the pink bus. They love design on the bus, which are my own dogs and family dogs, past and present. Simplicity print studio put the wrap on and did an amazing job,” she said. “They love the fact that every dog on my bus has a story. They have also loved that I show my certifications on my website.”

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