Puppy power! NYC’s first dog cafe reopens after locals donate $250K to fundraiser

Georgia Worrell
·2 min read
4
dog cafe
dog cafe

It’s time to paw-ty.

The Big Apple’s first dog cafe reopened this week after announcing it would be closing for good in February — following a six-figure fundraiser by loving locals.

“The reopening kind of felt like returning to school after summer vacation. We’re all re-energized, so excited to see each other and the customers again,” said Logan Mikhly, who co-owns Boris & Horton with her father, Coppy Holzman.

Potato, a 4 year old rescue, mugs for the camera as Isabelle du Plessis feeds Monkey, a 5 year old Morkie, at the canine friendly Boris & Horton cafe on Avenue A in the East Village. Helayne Seidman
Potato, a 4 year old rescue, mugs for the camera as Isabelle du Plessis feeds Monkey, a 5 year old Morkie, at the canine friendly Boris & Horton cafe on Avenue A in the East Village. Helayne Seidman
Both the Boris & Horton cafes at 195 Avenue A in East Village and 510 Driggs Avenue in Williamsburg reopened on Monday. James Keivom
Both the Boris & Horton cafes at 195 Avenue A in East Village and 510 Driggs Avenue in Williamsburg reopened on Monday. James Keivom

“I’m excited to make a more sustainable Boris & Horton and be open for the long haul,” Mikhly, 34, told The Post.

Mikhly and Holzman announced the closing of their canine-friendly cafes in East Village and Williamsburg after nearly six-and-a-half years because they couldn’t keep up with all of the doggone expenses.

“We were very successful in building a nice community. But having a business in New York City, and all of the extra costs that come with Health Department compliance, being a dog-friendly business, extra staff, dishes and towels, paper towels for dog messes – it all adds up. Our revenue was just short of our expenses,” explained Holzman, 69.

At the time, “I was feeling pretty low and not very happy with myself…I felt like a bit of a business failure,” Mikhly recalled.

Fur-tunately, within weeks, locals barked up $250,000 to keep their doors open.

“I think we knew people were going to be sad, but the outpouring of support, the fact that people mobilized on our behalf extremely quickly … was just beyond my wildest dreams,” Mikhly said.

With that money, the father-daughter duo invested in necessary repairs for the shops – including new furniture, air conditioners and paint jobs – and hired both general and event managers.

An outpouring of support and money from the community has kept the cafe’s doors open. Brian Zak/NY Post
An outpouring of support and money from the community has kept the cafe’s doors open. Brian Zak/NY Post

Both the Boris & Horton cafes at 195 Avenue A in East Village and 510 Driggs Avenue in Williamsburg reopened on Monday.

They now suggest canine-toting customers pay a daily visit fee of $10, and those without a dog pay $5. During the evenings, the cafes will host comedy, trivia and singles events, according to Holzman.

“We love our customers and it just so happens that they love us. Things are going really well this week,” Holzman said following the reopening.