A Montauk Store That Is Going To The Dogs

If they are in downtown Montauk, doggies are likely to pick up the scent and drag their owners to Harbor Pet Montauk, where dog treats and toys abound. The shop is located at 725A Montauk Highway, where the bicycle shop used to be.

Kimberly Loper, who opened the store with her partners at the beginning of May, said about her dog treats, “I’ve just always made them for my dogs, and my friends’ dogs.” She started selling her baked treats at the Montauk farmer’s market years ago.

Then she and her partners, Andrew and Nick Lomonaco, opened a Harbor Pet shop in Greenport, and Loper had to give up coming to Montauk. “I’ve always wanted to come back,” she said. Now she has.

“Our treat line is called, ‘Life is Gruff.’” One of Loper’s most popular treats is an ice cream sandwich for dogs. “We have a whole bunch of different flavors,” she said. She explained that the “ice cream” in the sandwich is a non-dairy product, safe for a pup’s tummy. If it is a dog’s birthday, or just a special dog day in general, Loper will decorate the sandwich for the occasion.

“What we are really concentrating on now is our Growlers,” she said. The crusts are made from greens after they have been pressed at a brewery, and the liquid squeezed out. Dogs love to chew on them, Loper says. Right now, they are using the spent greens from Greenport Harbor Brewery.

Besides the “Life is Gruff” line, Harbor Pet Montauk has treats from other boutique bakeries, and the walls are lined with dog toys and chewables.

Loper says the first few weeks open have been a joy. The reception from the public “has been phenomenal. The warmness we have been given is wonderful.” For more info, visit www.harbor-pet.com.

t.e@indyeastend.com