Thursday, February 22, 2024

'Something big is happening' at Boris & Horton, the dog cafe set to close next week

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Updated 2/28: The cafe will remain open. Read more about it here.

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It has been a week of lows and highs at Boris & Horton.

Last Thursday, the city's first dog-friendly cafe announced that it was closing on Feb. 26 after six years of anchoring the NW corner of Avenue A and 12th Street. The newer Williamsburg outpost was also shutting down. 

The announcement from daughter-father co-owners Logan Mikhly and Coppy Holzman shocked regulars, more than 1,800 of them leaving comments on the Instagram post that broke the news.
Holzman was candid in interviews, saying they simply weren't making money. Boris & Horton fans had something to say about that and have "rallied around them with ideas that could help the business remain open," as NY1 first put it. 

"Logan and I are humbled," Holtzman told me yesterday from inside the crowded cafe. "We received lots of input and lots of love. We always tried to be a happy and joyful place, and dogs are a catalyst for conversation among our community of wonderful folks."
They plan on making an announcement very soon about the future of the cafes. When asked for more details (throw us a bone here!), Holtzman would only offer "something big is happening." 

Meanwhile, around the cafe (dogs are only allowed with their humans in one closed-off area of the storefront, per Department of Health rules), everyone I spoke to was sad about the possibility of a closure... 
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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 22, 2024 at 8:43 AM

    Not only is B&H a special, unique storefront offering a great meeting spot for dog lovers & appreciators alike, but they also stepped up SO much when it comes to providing the community with services like food for the community fridge. They are wonderful people, and I wish them only good things - hopefully in the EV!

    ReplyDelete
  2. MrNiceGuyFebruary 22, 2024 at 11:24 AM

    Simply put -- Boris and Horton is a great business, a good neighbor and a valuable part of our community. I'm happy to support them however I can.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SarahFebruary 22, 2024 at 11:46 AM

    @8:43 am: you said it. The local businesses who have supported the community fridge have more than earned their place here.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousFebruary 22, 2024 at 3:26 PM

    Oh my god... This is so depressing because they are such good neighbors. They contribute so much to the community fridge. 😞 I hope whatever is in their future is fabulous and brings them a lot of joy!

    ReplyDelete

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