- May 10, 2025
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LAKEWOOD RANCH — As Autumn Solomon’s eyes sweep the empty retail space before her, she can’t help but get excited.
Although much work still needs to be done on the roughly 1,700-square-foot end unit in Lake Osprey Village shopping center, the entry has marble floors and a granite countertop checkout counter that will be perfect for the Humane Society of Lakewood Ranch’s newest fundraising venture.
“I have to pinch myself,” said Solomon, president of the newly formed animal rescue. “Six months ago, we were looking for a location. Now, we’re prepping for a grand opening and a store. It’s pretty amazing.”
As the Humane Society nears the opening of the first phase of its adoption center in Lakewood Ranch Corporate Park, volunteers also will be busy converting the vacant space in Lake Osprey Village into Second Chances Consignment Boutique.
The high-end fashion and consignment boutique will sell gently used clothing as well as shoes, accessories, handbags and some furnishings. Organizers hope to use the space for wine and cheese nights, fashion shows and other events.
“This is a store where (women) could go and get themselves (items) that they’d never be able to afford (normally),” Solomon said.
All of the proceeds — unless an item is sold on consignment — will benefit the Humane Society.
Solomon said as she and other volunteers contemplated ways they could help fund the organization’s operations, their thoughts turned to Designing Women Boutique in Sarasota, a consignment shop that raises funds for the community’s arts and human services through the sale of couture apparel and fine home furnishings.
After connecting with Lesli Davis, owner of Stella’s Tasty Treats, Solomon followed up with a suggestion to speak with Lake Osprey Plaza owner Norman Ferber. Ferber, who turns 80 April 1, loved the idea.
“I love getting involved,” said Ferber, who donated the use of the space. “We’ve always been involved in the arts and doing this type of thing.”
As plans for the boutique get under way, the Humane Society also is making final preparations to open the first phase of its adoption center, located in Stanley Steemer’s building on Trade Center Court in Corporate Park. Organizers hope to open the facility in April.
“It’s going to be our mission control,” Solomon said, noting it will have offices and a bonding room for potential adopters.
The Humane Society will utilize an off-site location for isolating pets during the intake process, but then they will be brought to the new center or stay with a foster family. Solomon said many animals under the shelter’s care will stay with foster families and be brought into the adoption center only on certain dates as a courtesy to neighboring businesses.
“We want to respect the facility and the fact that it’s in a corporate park,” Solomon said. “We don’t want to have too many animals in the facility.”
Volunteers who take the animals for walks in Corporate Park will wear special vests to identify them and the animals as part of the Humane Society.
Solomon said the new adoption center will be “warm, playful and welcoming” in design with white picket fences for kennels, hand-painted walls and a garden motiff.
“It’s going to be really adorable — like a nursery for animals,” Solomon said. “Being based in Lakewood Ranch, we understand the population we’re serving.”
Humane Society board members hope to open the second phase of the adoption center — a surgical unit and spay/neuter clinic — in three to six months.
Although times of operation have not yet been determined, the adoption center will be open Wednesday through Sunday and closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
The Humane Society of Lakewood Ranch is seeking more volunteers and will host a volunteer meeting March 30.
For information about volunteering, making donations for the consignment boutique or the organization, visit www.hslwr.org.
Contact Pam Eubanks at peubanks@yourobserver.com.
VOLUNTEER MEETING
WHEN: 6 p.m., March 30
WHERE: Northern Trust, 6320 Ventura Dr.
INFO: info@hslwr.org or 840-4055
