Get us in your inbox
🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!
Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!
Forget Petco: An indie pet store offers personalized service and one-of-a-kind goods for four-legged friends
If there’s one thing New Yorkers love most, it’s our pets, so a favorite pet store is a necessity. Although we enjoy chugging a few beers at dog-friendly restaurants and saying hi to our local bodega cats, we feel guilty leaving our four-legged friends cooped up inside our apartment all day long. Our furry companions deserve the best, and luckily there’s no shortage of niche offerings for pets in NYC. From adorable duds, tasty treats and shops that offer pet adoption, we’ve mapped out the best stores for pets by neighborhood, so you can keep your adorable critter happy, healthy and stylish.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to shopping in NYC
While you can find treats and handmade, customizable goods at its onsite boutique, you’ll want to shell out for one of the quarterly or annual memberships to Fetch Club’s clean, luxurious pet fitness center and spa, which boasts lots of sun, an indoor park and a nightclub (yes, really). All staff members are certified pet-care technicians, so you can rest assured you’re leaving your best friend in good hands for some well deserved socializing while you catch up with your human friends.
This rustic shop has been a South Street Seaport gem for almost 10 years, and it caters to mutts both large and small. Collars range from simple rope styles to design-your-own leather pieces, and beds and coats can be custom-designed from more than 30 fabric samples. Customers go barking mad for the tough nylon all-weather jackets, which are inspired by racing horses’ gear. Pick up a to-go treat from the Barkery, which bakes biscuits to order and offers frozen yogurt to go.
This upscale chainlet appeals to those guilty of treating their dogs like humans (you know who you are), stocking superfluous goods like cashmere and Fair Isle sweaters, and hand-stamped sterling silver ID tags. In addition to a wide range of customizable braided-leather collars and leashes, Canine Styles specializes in luxe dog clothes and accessories, including barn and puffer coats, hooded toggle coats and Burberry look-alike rain slickers.
This shop’s name means “elegant and beautiful” in Japanese, and the toys and accessories in the shop reflect that ethos: You’ll find frilly dresses that will bring out the princess in your pooch and rugby polo shirts that will make sport-loving dogs so fetch. It scores extra points for seasonal gear as well as costumes for turning your dog into a squirrel, bumblebee or wizard for a day.
Stop at this whimsical shop for a bejeweled collar, toy or accessory to treat your pooch’s posh side, and take advantage of the many on-site services, including cageless boarding, animal reiki healing and even massage therapy. Or you could take it a step further and book one of its in-house pet-sitters for your next vacation—a perfect option if Whiskers doesn’t take well to a home away from home.
For the preppy canine, this tiny boutique offers its own line of J.Crew-style gear of the finest quality, including hand-knit merino-wool sweaters, lightweight nylon windbreakers and delectably soft cotton hoodies you’ll wish you could steal à la Broad City’s Ilana. Spare your four-legged friend the rhinestones and pearls and pick up a classic collar like the fisherman’s braided cord or one that’ rolled leather with a brass bone-shaped toggle. Even Great Danes can get in on the goods: The shop caters to larger breeds, customizing apparel for dogs of any size or shape, free of charge.
The shelves at this17-year-old pet supply shop are full of natural and holistic foods that would please any veterinarian, such as Nature’s Recipe, which targets concerns like allergies and intestinal health. But munchies like these aren’t the only treasures: Rifle through the chests of Barking Zoo’s own wool and cotton knit sweaters for sophisticated argyle and stripe prints that will make your hound look Harvard-bound.
This refreshingly non-cutesy pet supply store will have your canine cruising down the sidewalk in high-quality understated gear. The store’s spacious second location (the first is in Soho) features colorful goodies like collars, bowls and toys. Bring your pooch in to peruse the enormous and tasteful collection of collars, leashes, travel bags, beds and bowls. Also get your paws on handmade sterling-silver name tags in charming shapes such as cupcakes and crowns.
Billing itself as NYC’s finest ‘beastro, this sleek shop doesn’t disappoint: It offers raw and organic food and on-site grooming for all types of pets, from energetic new sidekicks to older disabled dogs. And if what you’re feeding fluffy isn’t working, don’t sweat it: It offers nutrition counseling to help you choose the best food for your pet’s well-being. Not only will it save you money, it’ll ensure you many more happy, healthy years together.
This colorful and inviting boutique is all about pampering your pooch with frivolous yet irresistible offerings such as Big Apple Pie or PB and Bacon treats, fancifully illustrated children’s books with tales of canine antics, and its sleek line of house apparel, including classic-colored fleece and coats. Zoomies also makes leashes and collars made of leather or nylon (in a metallic finish, if you prefer a more attention-grabbing look), plus plush fleece blankets and a small selection of cotton kitty collars for feline friends.
This small shop is stocked to the brim with everything a dog could need, want or—more accurately—dread. Terrifying discoveries include pink dog goggles and a bunny raincoat, but you’ll quickly block those out of your mind when you spot delightful finds like Paws Aboard life jackets and green tea shampoo by Earthbath. The racks along the perimeter are bursting with fashion-forward dresses, tuxedos, sweatshirts, polo shirts, jumpsuits and puffy jackets in sizes all the way up to XXL.
Treat yo’ dog to a luxurious experience at this spa, day-care center and suite-filled wonderland. Grooming options range from basic shampoo and nail clippings to full-blown “pawdicures” and fur stylings from the look book (try the Bad Ass for a mohawk or the Suri Cruz for bangs and a bob). Overnight guests can expect an orthopedic dog bed, playtime in the indoor dog park and add-ons like special gourmet meals from the private dog chef.
Let’s hear it for NYC’s latest cat-café sensation (we’ll never get tired of saying that). Reserve a 30-minute session at the city’s first permanent hot spot for feline-lovin’ caffeine fiends—during which you can cuddle with as many kittens in the space’s play area as possible or laze with a kitty on your lap while enjoying Wi-Fi and coffee—as walk-ins are rarely available.
Whether your fur baby has special dietary restrictions or wants to spice up dinnertime, this Williamsburg staple is here for you. The friendly staff helps customers navigate pet-food brands to find the right raw, frozen, wet or dry option, as well as toys, collars, accessories and grooming supplies galore.
This Brooklyn-based boutique caters to pet owners with an appreciation for clean, minimalist design to incorporate into your pet’s look and gear. There’s also pet decor that’s functional yet stylish, like the Wall Nut, a mountable feeder that keeps water and food at lickable/edible height. And honor your pooch with a breed-specific decorative pillow, which can be customized to order.
After an intense game of fetch at nearby McCarren Park, locals hit up this holistic pet supply emporium to take advantage of the self-service dog wash, a machine that squirts eco-friendly shampoo, conditioner, and water onto your pet ($15–$25). Clean-up is included, and your furball has the option to shake it, get wrapped up in a towel or dry off with a blast of warm air. Distract him during the process with Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff heavy-duty rubber balls ($8–$16), or save those for your next jaunt in the grass.
Co-owner Barbara Librowski offers advice, recommendations and a wide range of products at this 23-year-old shop, where you’ll find top-shelf healthy food brands at competitive prices, like Grandma Mae’s Country Naturals dry formula for puppies and adult dogs ($10–$40) and New Zealand’s ZiwiPeak canned lamb and venison for felines ($26). Interspersed among the cluttered displays are pet care and training books, plush Petstages pillows ($18) with heartbeat sounds to help soothe anxious pets and a deeper selection of cat toys than any area competitor.
Gone are the days of a simple wash ’n’ fluff for Lassie: At both locations of this full-service groomer, not only can your canine get bathed and brushed ($20–$45), she can also score a “pawdicure” (pedicure) with polish ($15) and color highlights ($15) to soften her aging mug. While she’s getting the five-star treatment, duck into the well-organized, exposed-brick boutique to pick up a Natural Balance lamb roll ($9) for your mini gourmand.
Dogs and cats get equal attention at this family-run store, which provides holistic and healthy food options for both—in the words of owner Chris Smith, there’s “no supermarket food here!” As such, canines will go nuts for Love Thy Pet’s blueberry antioxidant and peanut butter crunch cookies ($8), while kitties will purr for WildSide Salmon’s freeze-dried Alaskan salmon pieces ($9). Smith frequently collaborates with local shelter Sean Casey Animal Rescue to hold adoption events outside the store, and provides plenty of holiday cheer with seasonal events like Halloween pet costume parties and free photos with Santa Claws at Christmastime.
You’ll leave this straightforward supply store feeling good that your purchase helped animals in need: All proceeds fund the adjoining Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition, which has been taking in strays since 1987. Those who own pets with special needs should make a beeline here for over-the-counter prescriptions, Dogswell Happy Hips chicken sticks designed to soothe the aching joints of senior canines ($9) and a selection of plush Wilson doughnut beds ($25–$46). If you love your mutt but are stumped as to what breed he is, pick up a BioPet DNA test ($65), swab his mouth and send it into the lab for evaluation; within two weeks, results will arrive in the mail. Mystery solved!
This nine-year-old neighborhood supply shop is next door to its sister adoption center for the Sean Casey Animal Rescue, which takes in unwanted animals of nearly every species. In keeping with this mission, the Hamilton Dog House hawks supplies for practically every pet imaginable, including reptiles, mice and birds. Make this your go-to place for T-Rex cypress mulch reptile bedding (ten-quart bag $11) and Lazy Dog Cookie Co. organic carob bonbons ($2). Store proceeds help staff visit schools for animal education talks, offer outreach programs to neighborhood children and hold adoption events.
Feel weird about giving your pet meds when they’re sick? So do the owners of this shop, which runs on a back-to-nature philosophy built around how animals lived and ate while in the wild. While the owners don’t prescribe medicine, they recommend homeopathic remedies and vitamins that will nurse your little ball of fur back to health, along with non-toxic litter, toys and treats that will keep him that way.
Tania Firrigno’s chic, inviting boutique is dedicated to her French bulldog, Oskar, and sells luxury products typical of Manhattan pet stores sans inflated prices. No time to give Fido a bath? Pat him down with Earthbath Green Tea wipes (100 for $15), infused with Hawaiian awapuhi extract, aloe vera and vitamin E. If he’s good, reward him with a locally baked Robbie Dawg organic biscuit ($7) in flavors like Brooklyn pizza and honey BBQ chicken. Entertainment comes easy with a Simply Fido plush lamb toy ($15), which is Chinese-made and certified organic.
NYC parks offer verdant green spaces to relax, get some sun, picnic and more. Don’t miss any offerings with our guide.
Discover Time Out original video
