Baron, the black lab that the downtown Centralia store “Black Dog Vintage” was named for, inspects a camera Monday afternoon in Centralia, while owner Dennis Koehler looks on.
Black Dog Vintage owner Dennis Koehler runs his downtown Centralia shop on Monday afternoon. Koehler suffered a stroke in mid December 2018 and returned to work about three weeks ago.
Black Dog Vintage owner Dennis Koehler gives Baron a treat in their shop Monday afternoon in Centralia.
Black Dog Vintage owner Dennis Koehler is back in his downtown Centralia business, with associate Baron the black lab. After suffering a stroke in December 2018, Koehler returned to his shop about three weeks ago.
“He’s been lazy today,” said Koehler, as Baron slept behind the counter. “But he’s a good boy.”
Koehler had a stroke on Dec. 14, 2018. Until he returned, bookkeeper Crystal Robertson and building owner Rebecca Ray ran the store. In addition, Robertson took care of Koehler’s two dogs — Baron and Little Bear.
“Being here is the best therapy right now, talking to everybody and my dogs are here,” Koehler said. “If it wasn’t for my bookkeeper, Crystal Robertson, and the building owner, Rebecca Ray, I wouldn’t have — they kept the store open while I was gone. I probably would have lost my business if it wasn’t for them. I owe them a lot.”
Little Bear is still staying with Robertson. Koehler said Little Bear and Robertson’s 3-year-old son have become “best buddies.” He said that has been the case since the first day he got Little Bear.
“It’s hard to compete with a little boy,” Koehler said. “Little Bear likes going there. They’ve got four kids and three dogs and two cats and there are friends around. He gets bored here.”
Baron is 12 years old and Koehler has had him for the past 10 years.
“This place keeps him going, all the little kids and people,” Koehler said.
While Little Bear came to visit Koehler in the hospital, he only saw Baron twice while he went through rehab for the stroke.
“They were happy to see me (when I returned to the store),” Koehler said. “I saw Little Bear a lot. Crystal (Robertson) would bring Little Bear into the hospital, so I had seen Little Bear, but Baron I hadn’t seen. He was happy to see me. Everybody said he looked lost when I wasn’t here. But him being here, this is his home and all he knows, so he just stayed here.
Since Koehler has returned, he said, Baron has kept close to him.
“Twice I came home from the rehab just for a couple hours and I got to see him there,” Koehler said. “But then he wanted to leave with me, so it wasn’t really good.”
Koehler does not have insurance. At the time of his stroke, he stayed in the hospital for nearly two weeks due to lack of insurance. Koehler had to stay in the hospital until he could go somewhere with 24-hour care or stay somewhere to receive physical therapy treatment.
After Koehler suffered the stroke, his brother set up a gofundme page. The page had a $100 goal, but was up to just over $3,000 as of Monday afternoon. Koehler said locals have also stopped by the store to deliver checks.
Koehler is no longer in physical therapy, but may go to outpatient therapy later. He can walk, but said his hand, mouth and speech are still a little “messed up.”
Koehler said many people have stopped by to see him since he has returned to the store, and that business neighbors have offered to help him if he needs anything.
“We are waiting right now to see how much Medicaid pays, then (we will) use all the gofundme money for whatever I owe,” Koehler said. “People have been quite generous.”
