Pup cakes, hot dogs, pup tarts and puppicinos are among many puppy treats at a new bakery for pooches in Crown Street Mall.
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Molly and Me Barkery in the heart of Wollongong is a new shop working in with Hideaway Cafe to provide owners and their pets the opportunity to each order a meal and share a cappuccino and puppicino together.
Melissa Malin said her business is inspired by her now 12-year-old Staffie named Molly.
“My dog was sick. To help her get better we needed to switch to a natural diet and watch what she ate,” she said.
“Then I realised I could not find any treats I was happy with.
“So I started making my own.”
Mrs Malin initially started making healthy doggy treats, cookies and birthday cakes at home four years ago.
But word quickly spread and family and friends wanted them for their pets as well.
She then started selling the treats at markets after interest was generated by a friend who asked her to make a birthday cake for her dog.
“It just grew from there,” she said.
Mrs Malin still has a stall at the Farm’s Market at Killalea.
But a few months ago she decided to open a shopfront and bakery in the centrally located Hideaway Arcade in Church Street, Wollongong.
That means people could call to the shop to pick up their doggy treats and birthday cakes rather than calling at her house.
Realising the outdoor section of Hideway Cafe was dog friendly Ms Malin and the eateries owner Yongqiao Pan put their heads together and decided to provide opportunities for people and their pets to enjoy a meal together.
“This a dog-friendly hub. Owners can have their meal, and the dogs can collect their puppicinos and treats at the same time,” Ms Main said.
Mr Pan said some customers already bought their dogs to the cafe.
So when the barkery opened next door it seemed like a logical move to take orders for them and their pets.
Mrs Malin and Mr Pan are now talking about taking bookings for doggy birthday parties for pooches and their human and four legged friends.
Molly and Me Barkery is planning a grand-opening on August 25.
Among the guests will be Phoebe Todman and her social media-friendly pup Ollie who has more than 1000 followers on Instagram.
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