Don’t look now, but book lovers aren’t the only ones who feel at home at indie bookstores. A growing number of pet-friendly bookstores are welcoming in furry friends and other pets for special occasions, going one step beyond being pet friendly.
The Atlas Collective in Moline, Illinois, is one of them. It’s not uncommon for guests to bring their pets along when they order lattes, cold brews, or energy drinks and then park themselves at one of the two outside tables. They can even order a pup cup.
But having a pet-friendly atmosphere took on a deeper meaning recently when pet photographer Lisa Francescon of Francescon Portraiture floated the idea of using a bookstore’s shelves as a backdrop for her next photoshoot. Owner Kara Taghon was all for it. Her bookstore, The Atlas Collective, was named after one of her dogs.
“Lisa is brilliant to work with,” said Taghon. “So our Book Club Sessions photoshoot grew out of an idea to connect deeper with our community. Then, she went ahead and donated many of the proceeds to a local animal shelter, which I thought was very cool. I hope to do it again sometime around Halloween.”
While it sounds simple on the surface, the initial Pet Sessions photoshoot took a lot of planning as The Atlas Collective doesn’t close often, so setting it up had to be strategic. As an experienced pet photographer, Francescon had set expectations for the subjects of the shoot. For example, only one group of pets and pet owners were allowed in the store at a time.
“For the Book Club Sessions, owners waited in their vehicles, and Kara went out to greet and escort them into the Atlas,” said Francescon. “Once the pets and their owners arrived, pets were given a few minutes to sniff around and explore.”
Once they were comfortable, Francescon took seven to 10 images to include in a private gallery. She also comforted pet owners, as several were worried about accidents or their pets being too nervous to sit still. This is where the pet photographer’s patience paid off. She knows how to help animals relax and take precautions so any accidents can be cleaned up and everybody can move on.
“My goal is always to create an experience that feels personal, comfortable, and judgment-free as every pet has their own personality, quirks, and comfort levels,” explains Francescon. “The Atlas Collective supported that by offering a beautiful, versatile space that’s both inspiring and calming, which helps everyone, four-legged or two, to relax and be themselves.”
Books on the Square in Providence, Rhode Island, takes a similar approach when it comes to pets. The store has become well-known enough that it attracts many guide-dogs-in-training to practice in a safe store environment. Trainers are so appreciative that they’ve given store staff insights on how training works.
“We’re well known enough that when I’m in the store early, before opening, I might catch a dog and their dog walker or owner staring in the window,” says Jennifer Kandarian, store manager of Books on the Square. “I’ll hear the owner say, ‘They’re not open yet; we’ll come by later.’”
The store originally became pet friendly simply because the owners wanted to encourage pet owners and dog walkers to drop by. But like many pet-friendly bookstores across the country, they’ve added tiny tells that let people know.
Books on the Square has a window decal that proudly proclaims them to be a pet-friendly space. They are also working on a back window mural, which is, admittedly, a long-term labor of love. Pet regulars also know that Books on the Square keeps a bowl of fresh water and treats behind the counter.
“First-time dogs may be a little uncertain about being in a store and can be a little shy at first, but generally warm up with a dog treat,” said Kandarian. “And we happily welcome dogs to our book events, too. Halloween is always a fun time for us because many neighborhood pets come in to show off their costumes. One of our favorites likes to dress up a spider!”
While Books on the Square hasn’t hosted a pet-specific event, some might say every day is a pet event. Some have taken to describing the space as an “alternative living room” where dogs are part of the cozy atmosphere. Many of them have become favored regulars.
The same can be said of another bookstore located almost 3,000 miles away. Underdog Books in Monrovia, California (Los Angeles area), is a nonprofit indie bookstore that started as a seasonal pop-up originally known for its pug mascots. While the pugs no longer lounge around in the window, Kealie Mardell-Carrera, director and board president, enjoys bringing in her dog, Ninkasi.
“Underdog has always been pet friendly, so when the nonprofit took over operations last year, we knew animal events would continue to be part of our vision for the store’s future,” says Mardell-Carrera. “We’ve had special pet visits for author events, dogs joining their owners for Focus Flow co-working, and even hosted a dog birthday party fundraiser last year.”
Underdog Books doesn’t extend its pet-friendly events exclusively to dogs. Thanks to their friends at The Little Zoo, they’ve hosted Reading with Reptiles, which included guest snakes, lizards, and tortoises. Readers can even sign up for a slot to practice reading with a reptile.
“We also had a wonderful talk on neurodiversity and snakes, with guest speaker Shira Loa,” said Mardell-Carrera. “She brought in seven of her pet snakes! Other authors have brought their pets to share in our love for animals. Melissa Whitney brought her pug, Milo, and the dog star of Koa Tales visited us as part of our children’s story time events.”
One of the board members of Underdog Books, Jen Venegas, is also a grief worker and death doula, which is a non-medical person trained to care for someone holistically at the end of their life. They facilitate a monthly grief circle at the bookstore.
“Jen facilitated an intimate pet loss grief circle in May, which offered pet parents a space to grieve and connect with others who have experienced pet loss in some way,” said Mardell-Carrera. “She said goodbye to two cats, Ashes and Isis, in the summer of 2022, and knows how difficult it can be to grieve these special members of our families alone.”
This remarkably unique event fits with the bookstore’s overall vision. It aims to amplify underrepresented voices and provide a safe space for exploring, connecting, and celebrating the wonder of literacy and learning. One of their most recent event additions is hosting author meetups. Attending authors are invited to bring their pets.
These are also the kinds of pet-friendly bookstores and special locations that many pet owners are adding to their pet records at All About Spot. Pets create special connections with places just like they do people, and taking pets to familiar settings can be beneficial while their owners are away, calm rescues, and help transition legacies.
