Boris & Horton, a dog-friendly cafe with locations in the East Village and Williamsburg, announced that it would close in Brooklyn this week, following a successful fundraiser that raised $250,000. In February, the cafe shared its money troubles publicly, rallying a community of furry friends and their owners, in just a couple of days. But apparently, that wasn’t enough to save it. Its last day in Williamsburg will be the end of this month, while the East Village location will remain open.
In a statement posted to Instagram, Boris & Horton stated: “We know that many of you donated in the hopes of keeping Brooklyn open, and we are heartbroken to let you down. This was not a decision we made lightly. We tried partnering with other local businesses, hiring an events manager, adding more programming, and other ways to bring in foot traffic, but despite our best efforts, sales have just been too weak to support the store. If you have any questions or concerns about your membership please email info@borisandhorton.com.”
In response, a flood of followers are commenting on the Instagram post announcing the closure wondering where all that money went.
One wrote: “Will you be returning the $250,000 donated 2 months ago to keep this location open?” Another added, “…Imagine if everyone who’d donated had just supported their local animal shelter or homeless outreach program.” A Reddit thread has started with one user stating they felt “completely lied to and misled by the owners.”
Many used the closure announcement as a chance to share fond memories in a space: a rare haven for pets, in a city where bringing them to a restaurant is otherwise quite contentious, as a recent New York Times report showcased.
In a follow-up with Greenpointers, the team shared, “The funds were allocated to pay the salaries for a General Manager and an Events Manager and to make some repairs to our East Village location including updating our HVAC system and some refrigeration so we could continue to run through the warm months.” The full statement can be read in the report. Eater has reached out for comment.
The Williamsburg Boris & Horton first opened in 2023.
