- PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH
A place for dogs and dog people to unwind
39 S. Goodman St. | 585-319-4088bonesdogbakery.com
Around lunchtime every Saturday, my dog Gold begins to get a little restless and starts bugging me to go for a walk. Once I give in to his pleading greyhound eyes, my noodle horse hauls ass to Bones Dog Bakery a couple of blocks away.
He loves the dognut, a donut for dogs, so I buy him one and he demolishes it outside the shop to the delight of onlookers, and there’s usually a few strolling by.
Bones owner Dani Fischer said she hears stories like this from a lot of her customers. People view their dogs as family, and she wants her bakery to be a place where people and their pups can spend time together and the focus is on the dogs.
"I think it really appeals to the relationship that people have with their dogs and how close they are, and having that sense of family," Fischer said.
- PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH
- Puppacinos for two, topped with treats.
Before Fischer launched Bones in 2016, she'd worked for 20 years on and off as a pastry chef — she started making treats for her dog as a hobby. While Bones’ shelves are full of treats, cookies, cakes, and other goodies made from limited, human-grade ingredients, the storefront is more than a bakery. It also functions like a dog-oriented coffee shop (and Bones does serve excellent coffee for its two-legged patrons).
Unless some excited pooches decide to let loose with a round of barks or howls, the shop has a relaxed atmosphere. Human customers waiting to order chat about each others’ dogs and stuff like dog gear, training, or the simple joys and frustrations of living with a canine. The dogs socialize as well — picture lots of sniffing and tail-wagging, maybe a few play bows, and occasionally some light slobber.
Beyond the goodies, the shop has a fireplace-turned-doghouse selfie station that artist Laura Wolanin paints anew three times a year.
Bones is also a family operation, with Fischer's son, Matthew Lawson, overseeing production and her other son, Tarik Kaddouri, serving as business manager.
Fischer's border collies Daximus and Nova frequently greet visitors to the store.
While a dog-oriented business has to appeal to pet parents, since they're the ones with the money, the dogs are the ones that beg (or pull) to go there.
"They just know it's for them and I think it's because of the environment, the treats, and the attention they get, too," Fischer said. "They're not just here hanging out with their owners, they're here for them. They are the priority." — JEREMY MOULE
Finalists: Park Ave Pets | Pet Supplies Plus
