Photos provided by Three Dog Bakery and Matt Johnson
Three Dog Bakery Opens New Digs in Westport Village
Calling all dogs (and their people)! Louisville’s ‘Pupular’ Three Dog Bakery Co-owners Shelby Simpson and Steve Wilson recently relocated to Westport Village to offer their customers expanded accessibility, safer parking, wider sidewalks for strolling, an expanded retail space, and a variety of dog-friendly retail neighbors and finally, an outdoor event space. Below, Simpson shares his business background, best sellers (including a few healthy options for cats) and a few “pet peeves'' with VOICE-TRIBUNE readers.
How long have you been in business and why did you decide to relocate?
“We opened in 1999, so this marks our twenty-fifth year of being Louisville’s most ‘pupular’ place for dogs and their people. Chenoweth Square in St. Matthews had been our home until now, but we are excited about our recent relocation to Westport Village near Lyndon, at the intersection of Herr Lane and Westport Road. Accessibility and safety are important since we encourage people to take their dogs to the bakery. We love Westport Village’s central location, especially its close proximity to I-264 via Westport Road’s easy Expressway on/off ramps. Plus, this neighborhood is home to several other premier pet-related businesses with whom we share clientele, including Kentucky Humane Society and The Pet Station Country Club. Our move creates customer convenience, plus it’s a chance to reach more dogs who might not have discovered us before.”
Tell us about the products you offer and any future products you plan to introduce.
“We pioneered the concept of a bakery for dogs, and we bake our treats onsite daily in our open kitchen. Also, we were at the front of the pack to focus on wellness. From the beginning, our goal has been to offer the healthiest treats and foods. That means using and sourcing only all-natural, human-grade ingredients without adding salt, fattening granular sugar or artificial colors found in most commercial pet food and treats. We offer several standard sizes, shapes and flavors of Celebration Cakes for birthdays,‘gotcha’ days and special occasions. We can create custom cakes with one-of-a-kind designs, too. Of course, we make a low-fat frozen treat in several flavors called ‘Lickety-Split.’ (Many don’t know human ice-cream is harmful to dogs’ digestion). Importantly, our relocation allows us to refresh and expand our boutique retail space by adding several ultra-premium brands of dry, wet and frozen dog food, which prior space limitations prevented. We have a few healthy options for cats, too. Our self-service Biscuit Bar is the bakery’s most ‘pupular’ feature because customers can scoop (by the pound) treats in a variety of flavors and sizes, including grain-free options. Plus, customers earn rewards for free treats with every bulk ‘pawchase.’ We are constantly expanding our wall of healthy chews, which include no-hide braids, unbleached rawhide, no-odor bully sticks, dehydrated veggies, antlers and more. On the non-consumable side, we constantly seek the highest quality animal fancies, and we leverage our exclusive vendor relationships to locate unique pet bedding, apparel, collars, feed stations and more. Our customers can always expect to find the unexpected during a bakery visit.”
What separates your business from others? “Well, we are really two stores inside one. First, we operate a live, working bakery where dogs are not only allowed, but encouraged to visit. Two-footed customers love the freshness and theater our on-site baking provides, while four-footed customers love the scent of just-baked cinnamon or peanut-butter cookies wafting through the store. Second, we manage a ‘re-tail’ boutique alongside the bakery, with an array of the highest quality supplies and gifts for pets and their people. I guess you could say, we are the ‘Cracker Barrel’ for dogs, where they can shop before or after they are fed. Unlike impersonal big-box and online retailers, we listen to and learn about our customers. A huge part of what we do is time spent trying to educate people about the benefits of a healthy diet for their dogs. On the surface, our shop may seem silly and frivolous to some, but there is a very serious and important aspect to our business: improving the health and wellness of our beloved animals. Lastly, we seek vendors who work mostly with smaller, locally owned independent stores like ours. It helps us keep new-to-market products in stock, while supporting other small businesses.”
Tell us about your new space in Westport Village. Please also tell our readers about the upcoming April event, and which organizations it will benefit.
“Customer reaction to our move has been overwhelmingly positive. People are excited and happy about the change, with most citing it being a closer and more convenient trip. So, we are hopeful our existing customers, many of whom have been with us for decades, will follow us, and new customers will find us. In my earlier comments, I mentioned “opportunities” our new home in Westport Village offers. One of the most exciting of those is a new in-store service: a self-serve dog wash “spaw” room. Like our retail space, our dog-wash room is a boutique experience, with the finest all-natural grooming products and premium individual washing and drying equipment in a comfortable, uncrowded space. Because our ‘spaw’ room has only two stations, dogs (and their owners) have a calmer, semi-private and less chaotic experience than visiting a crowded big-box pet store wash.’
“Westport Village management and most of its shops are super pet friendly. That was a big incentive to move there. This relocation also provides us with outdoor green space to host and sponsor dog-friendly special events and fundraisers throughout the year. We didn’t have that in St. Matthews. Our first event is Puppy Palooza on April 13, an annual fundraiser for Kentucky Humane Society hosted by Westport Village, with Three Dog Bakery as the presenting sponsor. It features a day of family fun with dozens of local pet-friendly vendors, food trucks, a photo booth, live music, K9 splash zone, drinks and more… all to enjoy with your dog and to benefit a wonderful cause. We hope to see many old friends and customers, while meeting hundreds of new ones!”
You mentioned you have several "pet peeves." Do tell!
“I could fill a zoo with all my pet peeves.”
“Well, the thing that angers me most is animal abuse. Animals love us unconditionally and they deserve the same. Louisville is fortunate to have several wonderful organizations dedicated to rescuing and rehoming animals from bad situations. We have been honored to work with many of them during our 25 years of business.”
“Another peeve is people who don’t or won’t pick up their dogs’ poo. That’s a big one! They can always get biodegradable lavender-scented pickup bags from us.”
“Two non-pet related peeves are people who refuse to use their turn signals, and people who litter. Louisville seems to have more than its fair share of both.”
How can our readers reach you to make a purchase?
‘We are located in Westport Village at 1201 Herr Lane, Suite 180B, next to Clater Jewelers. Our phone number is 897-3DOG (3364). The best and easiest way to know what’s happening in the bakery is to like and follow us on Facebook at Three Dog Bakery-Louisville, where we post regularly about events, featured treats, new product arrivals, specials, dog-bakery humor and more. We encourage customers to like and follow the Westport Village Facebook page, too.”