Over the past couple of years, I’ve written several blogs about local businesses. One of my favorite haunts has been Coffee Labs of Tarrytown NY. Coffee Labs was established in 2002 and for seven years has roasted and served wonderful coffee drinks and freshly roasted coffee to brew at home. Coffee Labs was named for the owner’s chocolate Labrador Retrievers. During tht time, Mike and Alicia have established Coffee Labs as a eco-friendly and pet-friendly coffee shop. Since they don’t prepare food on-site, they had an arrangement with the health department that allowed patrons to bring their dogs into the shop. The dogs had to be properly leashed and be well-behaved. I even wrote a blog about how Jade and I often spent mornings at Coffee Labs while I completed correspondence and some work realted activities – including market reports and blog articles.
But it only takes one complaint to ruin something that has worked well for years. Apparently one person complained to the health department and that has put the entire pet-friendly nature of the coffee shop “on hold.” The coffee shop is applying for a variance so that the patrons can bring their pets back. But positive public opinion on this matter can only be helpful. So I ask all pet-owners everywhere to feel free to comment on this blog and add your support by joining the discussion on Facebook. As one dog-owner and patron said to me last evening – “If you don’t like the fact that dogs area allowed – go somewhere else! There are plenty of coffee shops in Westchester if you don’t like dogs.”
© 2010 Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com. All rights reserved.
I do think Coffee labs is a great place with fantastic coffee,however they have been skirting the “no dogs” in food service establishments issue for 7 years. It’s surprising that a complaint hasn’t been made before this. Their contention that they don’t prepare foods on-site thereby exempting them from the regulation is disingenuous. Food is sold for consumption, and that alone makes it a food establishment, requiring the exclusion of pets. The owners statement that they had an “arrangement” is interesting. I wonder how one makes such an arrangement, was it in writing? I support people’s right to run a business as they like within the existing legal structure and health code…and even to seek an exemption if that’s possible. Since the code that’s being enforced by the county is a State law as well as a Federal regulation a waiver may be difficult to come by. good luck to all who have enjoyed Coffee Labs great coffee and canine community…could be a tough battle.
Also, they actually DO prepare food on site. The coffee roasting machine is in the middle of the seating area, and they roast and package not only for their own needs, but for restaurants and store all over the region.
I think it’s great to have a dog-friendly business and think it should be legal as long as it’s posted so that people who think the idea of dogs being around food can avoid the place. If the people who feel like that know ahead of time to not enter, then they shouldn’t be bothered by it’s existence.
I once ran into a situation like this with a restaurant I loved in Rhode Island. They had a resident cat, which was overlooked for many years until a customer complained about allergies. It went to the lawyers and the place had to get rid of the cat based on the fact that the local Rotary Club met there monthly and the lady would have been put in a position where she couldn’t participate in that local civic enterprise, also limiting her ability to make and keep business connections. The end result was that the cat could stay if the Rotary Club didn’t meet there.
Because this place is so small that I don’t think public or civic groups hold meetings there, this should be viewed as, well you now dogs are in there, so if you view them as being too germy to eat food around, then don’t go. It’s a coffee shop and I’m sure you can find a Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks somewhere around the area.
I think the Board of Health should let them keep the dog-friendly vibe as long as the presence of dogs is posted on the door and as long as no public/civic groups hold meetings there.
Otherwise, if you don’t like a place, don’t go to it. Stop being a party pooper!
I think it’s great to have a dog-friendly business and think it should be legal as long as it’s posted so that people who think the idea of dogs being around food is wrong can avoid the place. If the people who feel like that know ahead of time to not enter, then they shouldn’t be bothered by it’s existence.
I once ran into a situation like this with a restaurant I loved in Rhode Island. They had a resident cat, which was overlooked for many years until a customer complained about allergies. It went to the lawyers and the place had to get rid of the cat based on the fact that the local Rotary Club met there monthly and the lady would have been put in a position where she couldn’t participate in that local civic enterprise, also limiting her ability to make and keep business connections. The end result was that the cat could stay if the Rotary Club didn’t meet there.
Because this place is so small that I don’t think public or civic groups hold meetings there, this should be viewed as, well you now dogs are in there, so if you view them as being too germy to eat food around, then don’t go. It’s a coffee shop and I’m sure you can find a Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks somewhere around the area.
I think the Board of Health should let them keep the dog-friendly vibe as long as the presence of dogs is posted on the door and as long as no public/civic groups hold meetings there.
Otherwise, if you don’t like a place, don’t go to it. Stop being a party pooper!
I agree with Paula. This is a very small local coffee shop. It doesn’t distribute large quantities of food out to the general public. If someone has a problem with this type of dog friendly business, they can simply choose not to go there…..
Too bad this isn’t a matter of opinion and feeling, because if it was, the overwhelming response would be that the owners would be able to continue operating their dog friendly enterprise.
It’s really a legal and bureaucratic dilemma. Coffee Labs is , in fact, violating the State and County health code. Obviously one or more complaints have been made to motivate the Health department to stop “looking the other way” regarding this issue. So, the real problem is how does one “appeal” such a decision once a complaint is made. It is not easy to figure out the mechanism for appealing Health Code violations or gaining a variance. If that is even possible, it’s not public opinion that drives it but legal representation and precedents. It may be best for the owners to be thankful that they’ve had a good run of building their business while this issue has gone unnoticed by the authorities and to just continue serving their great coffee in a code compliant facility. Ultimately, only they can decide how much time and effort they want to spend “fighting city hall”.
Of course you’re right about this being a legal and bureaucratic dilemma. And these very laws you’re discussing are there to keep us all safe and healthy. However, this situation with this particular issue seems to make our lives a bit less pleasurable. Other countries find a way to accommodate people and their pets apparently without sacrificing health and safety…Good luck to Coffee Labs. I hope they do try to fight city hall.
Just to clear up a few things. I’m the lawyer working with Coffee Labs to try and obtain permission from the DOH to allow dogs to continue to be admitted to Coffee Labs. To clarify, no customers or other entities complained. Instead, a coffee shop in Rockland County seeking permission to allow dogs brought the dog presence @ Coffee Labs to the attention of their Health Dept. contact resulting in the current situation. There are provisions in the Code for exceptions & this one is already considered very low risk. So fingers crossed that we can show some compelling reasons that what the owners do while not meeting the letter of the law, meet the intentions. I agree with Pete G that regulations will rule the day & there is no established formula to obtain the variance. But I think we have a decent set of facts on our side & , while by no means guaranteed, a shot at moving some mountains.
Hi Andrea,
It’s good to know that you are working on it. And I thank you for clearing up the facts for us. I came up with the complaint because that’s what I was initially told.
I understand that rules are rules, but I also agree with others who feel that Coffee Labs has made a place for itself in the community and that in Europe this wouldn’t even BE an issue- yet you don’t hear of people dying of food poisoning because dogs were allowed in a cafe. Only in America do we go to such extremes.