A NEW coffee shop has opened in Warwick, but the clientele is not your usual cappuccino drinker.
Infact, coffee is not even top of the menu at this shop – instead it is doggy beers and pupcakes.
Mum and son team Tanya and Dan Pare have opened the doors to Chiens et Cafe on Smith Street – where dogs can bring their owners.
It is the first such coffee shop in the town, which caters for dogs through a menu costing up to £4. It includes doggy-friendly roast dinners, shepherds pie, chilli and even a sharing platter.
There will also be items on offer for their owners, including homemade cakes and hot drinks.
Co-owner Tanya – who left her job at Warwick Hospital to set up the venture – said: “We decided to open the coffee shop because we realised locally there are very few places which welcome dogs and provide a service for them.
“The only real places that welcome dogs can be pubs but as some people don’t like them it can make for a very stressful experience.
“If you are in a coffee shop specifically for them then everyone knows what to expect . We want people to totally relax and we think that if people know it’s a coffee shop for dogs then that’s what they’ll do.”
Along with a menu full of pup-friendly fare, dog clothing and accessories will also be on sale. A dog sitting service will also be available and events including dog training and a photo booth will be held at the site.
The mum and son team – who have three dogs of their own – came up with the idea while sat outside a pub with their four-legged friends.
And they say the notion of a doggy-friendly coffee shop has really taken off around the town.
Dan, who is 20 and a council worker, said: “We’ve never done anything like this before, it’s totally new, exciting and actually even scary.
“We’re hoping everyone will love it, the reaction has been overwhelming. Everyone seems to love the idea .
“We’ve wanted to open it for a while and the idea, which started as a shop, just seemed to grow.
“Now it’s a full on dog coffee shop with everything catered for the dogs. It’s very much a family venture.”
Search Chiens et Cafe on Facebook to find out more.
