This summer has certainly seen its fair share of patios open on Elmwood Avenue. The frozen yogurt businesses have added a lot of activity to the street, and even some restaurants that have never opted for a patio have changed their tune in order to keep up with the mounting energy (Blue Fin Asian Bistro installed a patio just yesterday).
One of the more unusual patios that I have come across as of late also happens to be pet friendly. Co-owner of Animal Outfitters, Omar Zahzouhi (with Star – inset photo), recently applied to the City for a permit to open a pet café. “I felt that people would appreciate a place where they could bring their dogs for a treat,” Omar told me. “We have water, Yöghund frozen yogurt for dogs, wi-fi for people, and we’ll even prepare a meal for your dog if he or she is hungry. Pretty soon we’ll have a menu for the dogs that people will be able to order from. The way I look at it is… anything for the pups, right?”
I, for one, am happy to see this sort of amenity on Elmwood Avenue. It’s great to have a four-legged pit stop on the street where dogs can refuel after a long hot walk. Sometimes I see dogs that look like they are about to collapse from heat exhaustion… with no relief in sight. It’s also the perfect setup for people who want to take their dogs to a patio to sit, but up until now have not been allowed to. This European way of thinking is a welcome change to the typical American non pet friendly attitudes that prevail.