Here are five of our favorite Denver businesses with four-legged tenants:
Mile High Comics' resident cat, Cambridge, can be found "strutting her stuff" around the shop, says customer service rep Ricci Taylor.
Cambridge Comic Guardian Instagram
Mile High Comics
4600 Jason Street
303-477-0042
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a…cat? Mile High Comics has been the home of Cambridge the cat for the past ten years after being rescued by owner Charles Rozanski’s daughter from her apartment parking lot, says Ricci Taylor, the store's customer service representative. Cambridge, the warehouse’s own gray-striped Garfield, can be found sleeping or gliding from book to book in search of a companion. She’ll even hide in boxes occasionally, which makes for a fun game of hide-and-seek for customers in search of their new favorite comic or feline friend. When asked what Cambridge’s favorite comic book is, Mile High Comics has a quick answer: “Catwoman, of course!”
Meet Ollie at the front steps of Planted Living Green. He might even give you a tour of the shop.
Luke Huss
3824 West 23rd Avenue
720-273-9004
Luke Huss, owner of Planted Living Green, has brought his farm-dog mix, Ollie, into the shop since he was just a puppy. Now about to turn four, Ollie is known for matching the relaxed vibe of the shop, occasionally letting out a bark or two to announce the arrival of customers. But outside of the store, Ollie treats Huss to a whirlwind of a walk, pulling his owner along on his skateboard. Ollie knows the routes outside the shop like the back of his paw, often leading Huss around to a nearby park or Huss’s favorite lunchtime spots. While Huss says these outings can get a little intense, they both have mastered the art of dog-led skateboarding.
Kyoko, one of two resident dogs at Sewn, can be found sleeping around, looking for treats and occasionally playing dress-up.
Kirsten Coplans
18 South Broadway
303-832-1493
Sewn offers a variety of handcrafted goods and vintage pieces, but you'll also find excellent customer service from resident dogs Kyoko and Gary, according to Sewn owner Kirsten Coplans. Kyoko, a friendly cattle guard dog, and Gary, also known as the “mystery meat” of the shop by his owner and resident artist Katie Wells, love lounging around the store, hoping for belly scratches and treats from roaming customers. Sometimes they stare out the window longingly, but Kyoko would never run off. Gary, on the other hand, would bolt the first chance he gets, warns Wells. Kyoko’s favorite toy seal, a staple of the shop, is now missing an eye thanks to the “little terror” that is Gary, she adds. And when he’s not busy eating Kyoko’s toys, you can find Gary sleeping in the window.
Shop cats Jack and Eliot cuddle up and prepare to meet customers on a handcrafted rug in Old Santa Fe Pottery.
John Bethel
2485 South Santa Fe Drive
303-871-9434
Referred to as “the real bosses” of Old Santa Fe Pottery by owner John Bethel, feline brothers Eliot and Junior and their friend Jack have found a home within the store’s handcrafted bowls and woven rugs. When asked what Eliot, Junior and Jack spend their time doing in the shop, Bethel has a harder time answering: “Besides breaking things?” The three cats, ages twelve to fourteen, can also be found acting much more peacefully in the back, where they like to sleep.
During the summer, Bethel says that Eliot, Junior, and Jack are “good salesmen,” posting up at the front desk or drinking out of water fountains out front, all the while luring customers in. Their favorite summer pastime is curling up in the chimineas that line the front of the shop, basking like gray and black fuzzy fires.
Z Cycle Shop
3217 East Colfax Avenue
303-304-2850
Among piles of tires and empty bike frames at Z Cycle Shop roams Millie, the store's newest resident pup. Recently rescued from a shelter in Fort Collins by one of Z Cycle’s new owners, Daniel Spicher, Mille’s known for having strong poodle energy but is every inch a mutt — and just as friendly as one, too. Millie can be found hanging out at the store, excitedly greeting customers and dogs alike. According to Spicher, some customers will come in just to see Millie, who is now an integral part of Z Cycle...as long as she's not chewing those tires.
