Corcoran agent and Westhampton local Ashley Farrell lives with her rescue dog, Sammy, a Rhodesian ridgeback-labrador mix. She’s a volunteer for Bideawee, the venerable nonprofit pet adoption organization based in Westhampton, Wantagh, and New York City. The organization’s policy has been to never euthanize an animal unless it is incurably ill or suffering.
Bidawee’s first ever popup–Bideawee on Main–had its grand opening on July 4, and will be open weekends for pet adoptions through Labor Day. Farrell is, in large part, responsible for the popup.
How did you get into real estate?
As with so many other people, I wanted more control over her time. My mother and my aunt had been successful agents. I graduated from college early, so I thought that if real estate didn’t work out, I was still ahead of the curve.
And you volunteer with Bideawee. How did the popup idea take shape?
Because I do live in the community, some of the more corporate types at the organization will call me and ask me if there is anything going on locally. Back in April, we sat down and we had a lunch with a brainstorming session. Many ideas came out of it, such as sponsoring a movie night on the great lawn in Westhampton Beach but also this popup.
And then you had to convince the owner to allow the popup.
We went through all the storefronts that were vacant at the time, and the only one willing to consider it was the place we are in now. We went through everything, we agreed on the price and the terms, and then he decided that he might not be so comfortable. He asked me to back out. I said, please just visit the shelter. This place has been here for over one hundred and fifteen years. It would be so good for the community. So he agreed. He came out that week and met our CEO at the shelter. Then that afternoon, he called me and said we were good to go. That the shelter was great, he loved the organization, and from then on he was just incredibly helpful and really a huge part of getting this done.
The popup opened July 4th. Did you have a lot of foot traffic?
So much foot traffic! I went there last Wednesday afternoon just helping set up and we had people that were trying to take a sneak peek. We had people coming in and out saying they were so excited. We told them all we would open at 11 the next day and that we had a line of waiting to get in.
That’s just amazing.
When the first puppy got adopted, the entire place started cheering and clapping. It was so great.
Interested in adopting a furry new friend of your own this summer? Bideawee on Main will be open Thursdays through Sundays until Labor Day.
