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Community rallies to save Boris & Horton and stop beloved dog café from closing

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Boris & Horton is located at 195 Avenue A in the East Village. Photo Credit: Claire Leaden

It’s been a ruff few weeks for beloved dog café Boris & Horton, but in the face of imminent closure, locals are banding together to help keep the shop’s doors open.

Owners of Boris & Horton recently announced that its Williamsburg and East Village locations would permanently close on Feb. 26. A heartfelt post on social media — penned by owners Logan Mikhly and Coppy Holzman, and co-signed by the café’s namesake pups — expressed gratitude to the loyal customers, both human and animal, who made Boris & Horton a cherished community space.

Now, just days before the business’ planned closure, owners hope a new crowdfunding campaign can keep the café open.

“Boris & Horton is set to close its doors on Monday, unless we can raise the funds to make the necessary changes required to keep the business going,” a new message on Boris & Horton’s website reads. “If you care about keeping Boris & Horton open, now’s the time to help.”

The campaign allows supporters to subscribe to one of the café’s new merch and subscription boxes. Just hours after launching, Boris & Horton has raised more than $70,000 toward a $250,000 goal.

Proceeds will go toward making a number of repairs to the café’s East Village location to keep the business in compliance with city health codes, hiring new staff and keeping current staff paid while the Manhattan location is closed for repairs.

In a statement to Brooklyn Paper, owner Mikhly said she and her father, Holzman, were blown away by the “magnitude of support” they’ve seen from the community.

“We’re humbled by the incredible support we received to save the cafes. Nothing would make us happier than hitting this goal so we can make necessary repairs to the cafes and work on strengthening the business model so we can stick around in the East Village and Williamsburg for years to come,” she said. “We feel like we’re receiving a second chance to get this right and we couldn’t be more grateful.”

The café, known for its dog-friendly atmosphere, offered a unique experience for pet owners, providing a space where they could enjoy quality coffee and food while spending time with their furry friends. Over the years, Boris & Horton became a staple in New York City’s canine community.

Boris & Horton is located at 510 Driggs Ave. in Williamsburg and 195 Ave. A in the East Village. For more information, or to shop merchandise, visit borisandhorton.com.